tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31914457133091047752024-03-13T09:46:30.576-05:00Random Scripture MumblingsMumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.comBlogger1416125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-90728733919528712612015-02-08T14:52:00.002-06:002015-02-08T14:52:58.495-06:00Listen Carefully; Answer Honestly. Genesis 40:12-19<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Listen carefully so that you can use your gifts to
glorify God. Joseph was learning this
wisdom slowly in prison. Read from
Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Joseph
said,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">
<span style="color: red;">“Here’s the meaning:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">The three
branches are three days. Within three
days, Pharaoh will</span> <b><span style="color: red;">get you out of here</span></b><span style="color: red;"> and
put you back</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to your old</span> <span style="color: red;">work –</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you’ll</span> <span style="color: red;">be giving</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Pharaoh</span> <span style="color: red;">his</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">cup just as you used
to do when you were his cupbearer.</span>
<span style="color: red;">Only</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">remember
me </span><span style="color: red;">when things are going well with you again –
tell</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Pharaoh</span> <span style="color: red;">about
me</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and get me out of this </span><span style="color: red;">place.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I was</span> <span style="color: red;">kidnapped</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">from the land of the Hebrews.</span> <span style="color: red;">And since I’ve been</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">here, I’ve done nothing to deserve being put in</span>
<span style="color: red;">this hole.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">When the</span>
<span style="color: red;">head</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">baker saw</span>
<span style="color: red;">how well</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph
interpretation</span> <span style="color: red;">turned out,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">spoke up: “My dream
went like this: I saw </span><span style="color: #00b050;">three</span> <span style="color: red;">wicker</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">baskets on my head;
the top basket</span> <span style="color: red;">had assorted pastries from the
bakery and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">birds were</span> <span style="color: red;">picking at</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">them</span> <span style="color: red;">from</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the basket on my
head.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph
said, “This is</span> <span style="color: red;">the interpretation:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">The three baskets are three days; within three days <b>Pharaoh will</b></span><b> <span style="color: red;">take</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">off
your head,</span></b> <span style="color: red;">impale</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you on a</span> <span style="color: red;">post,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and the birds will</span> <span style="color: red;">pick
your bones clean.”</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> (Genesis 40:12-19)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">"This is what it means,"</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph said</span> <span style="color: red;">to him.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"The three
branches are three days. Within three
days Pharaoh will</span> <b><span style="color: red;">lift <u>up</u> your head</span></b><span style="color: red;">
and restore you</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to your</span> <span style="color: red;">position, and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you will</span>
<span style="color: red;">put</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Pharaoh</span><span style="color: red;">'s</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">cup</span> <span style="color: red;">in his hand,</span><span style="color: #00b050;"> just as you
used to do when you were his cupbearer.</span>
<span style="color: red;">But when all goes well with you,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">remember me</span> <span style="color: red;">and show me
kindness; mention me to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Pharaoh and get me
out of this</span> <span style="color: red;">prison. For</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I was</span>
<span style="color: red;">forcibly carried off</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">from
the land of the Hebrews,</span> <span style="color: red;">and even</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">here I have done nothing to deserve being put in</span> <span style="color: red;">a dungeon."</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">When the</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">chief </span><span style="color: #00b050;">baker saw</span> <span style="color: red;">that</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph</span> <span style="color: red;">had given a
favorable</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">interpretation, he</span> <span style="color: red;">said to Joseph, "I too had a dream: </span><span style="color: #00b050;">On my head were three baskets</span> <span style="color: red;">of bread. In </span><span style="color: #00b050;">the top basket</span> <span style="color: red;">were all
kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">birds
were</span> <span style="color: red;">eating</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">them</span>
<span style="color: red;">out of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the basket on
my head."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">"This is</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">what it means,"</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph said. "The three baskets are three days. <b>Within
three days Pharaoh will</b></span><b> <span style="color: red;">lift </span><u><span style="color: #00b050;">off</span></u></b><span style="color: #00b050;"> <b>your head</b> and</span>
<span style="color: red;">hang</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you on a</span>
<span style="color: red;">tree.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">And the birds
will</span> <span style="color: red;">eat away your flesh."</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> (Genesis 40:12-19)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Of all the changes made (and there’s lots of red), only
one catches my attention. I like the parallelism
of the beginning of Joseph’s answers to the two men. Three branches and three baskets both equal
three days. Pharaoh will lift both of
their heads. The baker must have been ready to jump for joy. Another positive dream interpretation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Then comes the crash.
Although the cupbearer will be restored to his old position… his head
will be lifted <i>up</i>, the baker will
have his head lifted <i>off</i>. Ouch!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Joseph listened to both of them. He empathized with them. He was walking in the same shoes in the
dungeon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">But he gave each man the interpretation that the dreams
required, as God led him… good or bad.
Joseph told them like it was… no sugarcoating. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I miss that parallelism in Peterson’s work. That part of the message of the passage gets
lost in the changes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In this life, there is very little room for errors. Thank God for the saving work of Jesus!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out</span><span class="MsoIntenseEmphasis"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-15421585605454066512015-02-08T07:42:00.001-06:002015-02-08T07:42:36.920-06:00Sensitive Listener. Genesis 40:1-11<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Joseph shows knowledge of and compassion for his fellow
prisoners. He seeks to aid them with his
God-given talents. Would we do the
same!?! Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">As</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">time</span>
<span style="color: red;">went on, it happened that</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt</span> <span style="color: red;">crossed</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">their master,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the king of Egypt.
Pharaoh was</span> <span style="color: red;">furious</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with his two officials, the</span> <span style="color: red;">head</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">cupbearer and the</span>
<span style="color: red;">head</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">baker, and put
them in custody</span> <span style="color: red;">under</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the captain of the guard;</span> <span style="color: red;">it
was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the same</span> <span style="color: red;">jail</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">where Joseph was</span> <span style="color: red;">held.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">The captain of
the guard assigned Joseph</span> <span style="color: red;">to see to their needs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">After
they had been in custody for</span> <span style="color: red;">a while, </span><span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">king</span><span style="color: red;">’s</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">cupbearer and baker,</span>
<span style="color: red;">while</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">being held in</span>
<span style="color: red;">jail, both</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">had a
dream on the same night, each dream</span> <span style="color: red;">having</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">its own meaning.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When Joseph</span>
<span style="color: red;">arrived in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the morning,</span>
<u><span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">noticed</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">that they were</span> <span style="color: red;">feeling
low</span></u><span style="color: red;">.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">So he asked</span> <span style="color: red;">them,
the two</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">officials</span> <span style="color: red;">of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Pharaoh who</span> <span style="color: red;">had been thrown into jail</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with
him,</span> <span style="color: red;">“What’s wrong? </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Why</span><span style="color: red;"> the long</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">faces?”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">They</span>
<span style="color: red;">said,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“We</span> <span style="color: red;">dreamed</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">dreams</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">there’s no one to
interpret them.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph
said, “Don’t interpretations</span> <b><span style="color: red;">come from</span></b> <span style="color: #00b050;">God? <u>Tell me</u></span><u> <span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">dreams</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">First</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the cupbearer told his dream</span> <span style="color: red;">to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph: “In my dream</span> <span style="color: red;">there
was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">a vine in front of me</span> <span style="color: red;">with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">three branches on</span>
<span style="color: red;">it:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">It budded, blossomed, and</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">clusters ripened into grapes.</span> <span style="color: red;">I was holding Pharaoh’s
cup;</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I took the grapes, squeezed them into
Pharaoh’s cup, and</span> <span style="color: red;">gave</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the cup</span> <span style="color: red;">to Pharaoh.”</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> (Genesis 40:1-11)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Some</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">time</span> <span style="color: red;">later,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the cupbearer and
the baker of the king of Egypt</span> <span style="color: red;">offended</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was</span> <span style="color: red;">angry</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">with his two officials, the</span> <span style="color: red;">chief</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">cupbearer and the </span><span style="color: red;">chief</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">baker, and put them
in custody</span> <span style="color: red;">in the house of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the captain of the guard,</span> <span style="color: red;">in</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the same</span> <span style="color: red;">prison</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">where Joseph was</span> <span style="color: red;">confined.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">The captain of
the guard assigned</span> <span style="color: red;">them to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph,</span> <span style="color: red;">and he attended
them.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">After they had been in custody for</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">some time, each of the two men –</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the cupbearer and</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">baker</span> <span style="color: red;">of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the king</span> <span style="color: red;">of Egypt, who
were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">being held in</span> <span style="color: red;">prison –</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">had a dream the
same night,</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">each
dream</span> <span style="color: red;">had a</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">meaning</span>
<span style="color: red;">of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">its own.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">When Joseph</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">came to them</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">next</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">morning, </span><span style="color: red;">he saw that they
were dejected.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">So he asked</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Pharaoh</span><span style="color: red;">'s</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">officials</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">who</span> <span style="color: red;">were in custody</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">with him</span> <span style="color: red;">in his
master's house, </span><span style="color: #00b050;">"Why</span><span style="color: red;"> are your</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">faces</span> <span style="color: red;">so sad today?"</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">"We</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">both had</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">dreams,"</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">they</span>
<span style="color: red;">answered, "but</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">there
is no one to interpret them."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Then</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph said</span> <span style="color: red;">to them,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"Do not
interpretations</span> <b><span style="color: red;">belong to</span></b> <span style="color: #00b050;">God? <u>Tell
me</u></span><u> <span style="color: red;">your</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">dreams</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">So</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">the </span><span style="color: red;">chief </span><span style="color: #00b050;">cupbearer told
Joseph his dream.</span> <span style="color: red;">He said to him,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"In my dream</span> <span style="color: red;">I saw</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">a vine in front of me,</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">on</span> <span style="color: red;">the vine were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">three
branches.</span> <span style="color: red;">As soon as</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">it budded,</span> <span style="color: red;">it</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">blossomed,</span> <span style="color: red;">and its</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">clusters ripened into grapes.</span> <span style="color: red;">Pharaoh's cup was in
my hand, and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I took the grapes, squeezed
them into Pharaoh's cup and</span> <span style="color: red;">put</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the cup</span> <span style="color: red;">in his hand."</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> (Genesis 40:1-11)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In today’s passage, I think I will take issue with only
one small change. Do interpretation of
dreams “come from God” (Peterson) or do they “belong to God” (NIV)? Most of the translations go with “belong to”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Is there a significant difference between the
two… especially with the following statement “tell me your dreams”? Prepositions are tricky critters in
translation, so I don’t want to read too much into it. But it’s something to think about. I lean toward the more common translation of “belong
to”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I am a bus driver.
After having the same people ride the bus numerous times, I get to know
them enough that I can tell if they’re having a good day or a bad day. Apparently, after a short time of care under
Joseph, the cupbearer and the baker were known by Joseph. Joseph knew they were feeling down. May we all be so sensitive to our fellow
journeyers!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And Joseph took time to listen. May we give the gift of our undivided
attention and time to those we love. It
is a rare gift! And let’s allow God to
work through us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-9472402478270684632015-02-08T07:40:00.005-06:002015-02-08T07:40:55.854-06:00The Price of Faithfulness. Genesis 39:11-23<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">To remain faithful to God there is
a price to be paid. Sometimes it’s
high. But, if we are willing to pay that
price, God will bless us wherever we land.
Joseph was learning that in this stage of his life. Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: red;">On</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">one</span> <span style="color: red;">of those</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">day</span><span style="color: red;">s</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">came to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the house to</span> <span style="color: red;">do his work</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">and none of the household servants</span> <span style="color: red;">happened to be there.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">She</span> <span style="color: red;">grabbed</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">him by his</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">cloak,</span>
<span style="color: red;">saying, “Sleep</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with
me!”</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He
left his</span> <span style="color: red;">coat</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in
her hand and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">ran out of the house. When she </span><span style="color: red;">realized</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">that he had left his </span><span style="color: red;">coat</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in her hand and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">run out</span><span style="color: red;">side, </span><span style="color: #00b050;">she called</span> <span style="color: red;">to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">her house servants: “Look – this Hebrew</span> <span style="color: red;">shows up and before you know it he’s trying to seduce <b>us</b>.
He tried to make love to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">me</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">but I</span> <span style="color: red;">yelled as loud as I
could. With all my yelling and screaming,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">he left his</span> <span style="color: red;">coat
with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">me and ran out</span><span style="color: red;">side.”</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">She
kept</span> <span style="color: red;">the coat right there</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">until his master came home. She told him</span> <span style="color: red;">the
same</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">story.</span> <span style="color: red;">She said, “The</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Hebrew slave,</span> <span style="color: red;">the
one </span><span style="color: #00b050;">you brought to us, came</span> <span style="color: red;">after</span> <b><span style="color: #00b050;">me</span></b> <span style="color: red;">and tried to use me
for his plaything. When</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I</span> <span style="color: red;">yelled and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">screamed, he left his</span> <span style="color: red;">coat
with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">me and ran out</span><span style="color: red;">side.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">When
his master heard his wife</span><span style="color: red;">’s</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">story,</span> <span style="color: red;">telling</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him,</span> <span style="color: red;">“These are the things</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">your slave</span> <span style="color: red;">did to</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">me,” he</span> <span style="color: red;">was furious.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph’s master
took him and</span> <span style="color: red;">threw</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him</span> <span style="color: red;">into jail</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">where the king’s prisoners were</span> <span style="color: red;">locked up.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">But there in</span> <span style="color: red;">jail <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">was</span>
<span style="color: red;">still </span><span style="color: #00b050;">with</span> <span style="color: red;">Joseph:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He</span> <span style="color: red;">reached out in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">kindness </span><span style="color: red;">to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him;</span> <span style="color: red;">he put him on good terms with the head jailer. The head jailer</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">put Joseph in charge of all</span> <span style="color: red;">the prisoners – he ended up managing the whole
operation. The head jailer gave Joseph
free reign, never even checked on him,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">because
</span><span style="color: red; font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">was with</span> <span style="color: red;">him; whatever he
did <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> made sure it worked out
for the best.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 39:11-23)<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">One day he went into the house to attend to his
duties,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">and none of the household
servants</span> <span style="color: red;">was inside.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">She</span> <span style="color: red;">caught</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him by his</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">cloak </span><span style="color: red;">and said, "Come
to bed</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with me!"</span> <span style="color: red;">But</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he left his</span> <span style="color: red;">cloak</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in her hand and</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">ran out of the house.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">When she</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">saw</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">that he had left his</span>
<span style="color: red;">cloak</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in her hand
and</span> <span style="color: red;">had</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">run
out</span> <span style="color: red;">of the house,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she called her house</span><span style="color: red;">hold</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">servants. "Look,"</span> <span style="color: red;">she said to them,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"this
Hebrew</span> <span style="color: red;">has been brought to us to make sport of <b>us</b>! He came in here to sleep with</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">me,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">but I</span>
<span style="color: red;">screamed. When
he heard me scream for help, </span><span style="color: #00b050;">he left his</span>
<span style="color: red;">cloak beside</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">me and
ran out</span> <span style="color: red;">of the house."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">She kept</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">his cloak beside her</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">until
his master came home.</span> <span style="color: red;">Then</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she told him</span> <span style="color: red;">this</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">story:</span> <span style="color: red;">"That</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Hebrew slave
you brought us came</span> <span style="color: red;">to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">me</span> <span style="color: red;">to make sport of <b>me</b>.
But as soon as</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I screamed</span> <span style="color: red;">for help,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he left his</span>
<span style="color: red;">cloak beside</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">me and
ran out</span> <span style="color: red;">of the house."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">When his master heard</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">story his
wife</span> <span style="color: red;">told</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him,</span>
<span style="color: red;">saying, "This is how</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">your slave</span> <span style="color: red;">treated </span><span style="color: #00b050;">me," he</span> <span style="color: red;">burned with
anger.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph's
master took him and</span> <span style="color: red;">put</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him</span> <span style="color: red;">in prison, the place</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">where the king's prisoners were</span> <span style="color: red;">confined.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">But</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">while Joseph was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">there in</span>
<span style="color: red;">the prison, the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">was with</span> <span style="color: red;">him;</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">showed</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">kindness</span> <span style="color: red;">and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">put
Joseph in charge of all</span> <span style="color: red;">those held in the
prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything
under Joseph's care,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">because </span><span style="color: red;">the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">was with</span> <span style="color: red;">Joseph and gave
him success in whatever he did.</span></span></i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 39:11-23)<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Though there is much red, there seems to be no
significant differences. Peterson’s
updating appears to be consistent with the heart and soul of this passage. Let’s focus on that heart and soul…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Trying to be true to God by serving his master faithfully,
Joseph paid the price. Potiphar’s wife
set Joseph up. First, she set up a private
meeting with Joseph. She had to know his
duties and when he would be arriving to do them. She made sure that no one else was with
them. And she tried to force herself on
Joseph.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Joseph ran from temptation. We can learn from that. He ran pell-mell and left his cloak behind. Run from temptation!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Fleeing had its price, though. Potiphar’s wife claimed that Joseph was doing
to her what she was actually unsuccessfully trying to do to him. Oh, the irony!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And she knew how to manipulate. When she spoke to the servants, she included
them in Joseph’s alleged sexual aggressiveness.
When she spoke to her husband, she said the attack was personal only to
her. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">She wanted to get maximum negative responses
from each different party. She wanted
that so that no investigation would happen.
She knew that any kind of investigation would be bad for her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">So Joseph was demoted from a slave to a prisoner. Still, God was with him. And Joseph prospered and excelled at all he
did. When we faithfully follow the Lord,
we will be successful… though not in the eyes of the world, necessarily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-31529096622542142782015-02-05T20:37:00.001-06:002015-02-05T20:37:53.881-06:00Stand Your Ground! Genesis 39:1-10<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Even in exile in a foreign land, it’s
important to stay true to God. Staying
true will benefit you and all the people around you. Read some more of Joseph’s story from
Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">After</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph had been taken to
Egypt</span> <span style="color: red;">by the Ishmaelites, Potiphar an Egyptian,
one of Pharaoh’s officials and <u>the manager of his household</u>,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">bought him from</span> <span style="color: red;">them.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">As it turned out, <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">was with Joseph and</span> <span style="color: red;">things
went very well with him. He ended up
living</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the</span> <span style="color: red;">home</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of his Egyptian master.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">His master</span>
<span style="color: red;">recognized</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">that</span>
<span style="color: red; font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">was with him,</span> <span style="color: red;">saw</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">that </span><span style="color: red; font-variant: small-caps;">God</span><span style="color: red;"> was working for</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">good in everything he did. </span><span style="color: red;">He became very
fond of Joseph and made him his personal aide.
He </span><span style="color: #00b050;">put him in charge of</span> <span style="color: red;">all his personal affairs, turning </span><span style="color: #00b050;">everything</span> <span style="color: red;">over to him.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">From</span> <span style="color: red;">that moment on, <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span></span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">blessed the </span><span style="color: red;">home</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">of the Egyptian –</span> <span style="color: red;">all</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">because of Joseph.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">The blessing of</span>
<span style="color: red; font-variant: small-caps;">God</span><span style="color: red;"> spread over</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">everything</span>
<span style="color: red;">he owned, at home</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and
in the</span> <span style="color: red;">fields, and all Potiphar had to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">concern himself with</span> <span style="color: red;">was
eating three meals a day.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Joseph was</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">a strikingly</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">handsome</span> <span style="color: red;">man. As time went on,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his master’s wife</span> <span style="color: red;">became
infatuated with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph and</span> <span style="color: red;">one day</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">said,</span> <span style="color: red;">“Sleep</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with me.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">He</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">wouldn’t do it.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He</span> <span style="color: red;">said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me here,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my master doesn’t</span> <span style="color: red;">give a
second thought to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">anything </span><span style="color: red;">that goes on here – he’s put me in charge of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">everything he owns.</span> <span style="color: red;">He treats me as an
equal. The only thing he hasn’t turned
over to me is</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you. You’re his wife,</span> <span style="color: red;">after all! <b>How could I violate his trust</b></span><b> <span style="color: #00b050;">and sin
against God?”</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">She</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">pestered him</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">day after day,</span> <span style="color: red;">but</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">stood his ground.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He refused to go
to bed with her</span>.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> (Genesis 39:1-10)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Now read the same passage from the
NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Now</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph had been taken</span>
<span style="color: red;">down</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Egypt.
Potiphar, an Egyptian</span> <span style="color: red;">who was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">one of Pharaoh's officials,</span> <u><span style="color: red;">the captain of the guard</span></u><span style="color: red;">,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">bought him from</span> <span style="color: red;">the
Ishmaelites who had taken him there.</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">The <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">was with Joseph and</span> <span style="color: red;">he
prospered, and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">lived</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the</span> <span style="color: red;">house</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of his Egyptian
master. </span><span style="color: red;">When</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">his master</span> <span style="color: red;">saw</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">that</span> <span style="color: red;">the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">was
with him</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">that
</span><span style="color: red;">the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>
gave him success</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in everything he did,</span>
<span style="color: red;">Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his
attendant. Potiphar</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">put him in charge of</span>
<span style="color: red;">his household, and he entrusted to his care</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">everything</span> <span style="color: red;">he owned.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">From</span> <span style="color: red;">the time he put him in charge of his household and of all
that he owned, the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">blessed the</span> <span style="color: red;">household</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">of the Egyptian because of Joseph.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">The blessing of</span> <span style="color: red;">the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> was on</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">everything </span><span style="color: red;">Potiphar had,
both </span><span style="color: #00b050;">in the house</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and in the</span> <span style="color: red;">field. So he left in Joseph's care everything he
had; with Joseph in charge, he did not</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">concern
himself with anything</span><span style="color: red;"> except the food he ate. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Now</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph was</span> <span style="color: red;">well-built and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">handsome,</span>
<span style="color: red;">and after a while</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his
master's wife</span> <span style="color: red;">took notice of Joseph</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and said,</span> <span style="color: red;">"Come to
bed</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with me!"</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">But</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">refused. "With me in charge,"</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">told her,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"my master does not</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">concern
himself with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">anything</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the house;</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">everything
he owns</span> <span style="color: red;">he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My
master has withheld nothing from me except </span><span style="color: #00b050;">you,</span>
<span style="color: red;">because</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you are his
wife<b>.</b></span><b> <span style="color: #00b050;">How</span> <span style="color: red;">then</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">could I</span> <span style="color: red;">do such a
wicked thing</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and sin against God?"</span></b> <span style="color: red;">And though</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she</span> <span style="color: red;">spoke to Joseph</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">day after day,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">refused to go to bed with her</span> <span style="color: red;">or even be with her.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> (Genesis 39:1-10)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Again, I’m not sure why Peterson
makes the change from captain of the guard to the manager of his
household. It’s puzzling to me. Other than that, there are no significant
changes in today’s passage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">What is certain is that infatuation…
or lust… or a crush never leads to anything good – especially when the person
infatuated with the other person has power over them, as it is in this
case. It might have been easy to comply…
to not make waves and risk disturbing his relationship with Potiphar and his
family. Thing were good… quite blessed
actually.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">But Joseph knew the source of his
blessings – the Lord. And he knew that
God would be offended if Joseph chose to take advantage of Potiphar’s trust in
Joseph. Joseph knew that the sin would
be first and foremost a sin against God… the God of love, the God of
relationship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">What about us? Can we make a stand for the Lord when the
going gets tough or when the going gets seductive? Let’s stand our ground and seek to be on God’s
side.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Peace Out</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-62303381962634278112015-02-04T19:47:00.002-06:002015-02-04T19:47:30.965-06:00Judah Wanders Away - Part 3. Genesis 38:24-30<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Talk about having egg on your face! A person’s true nature will eventually come
out. Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Three months</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">or so</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law</span>
<span style="color: red;">had been playing the <u>whore</u> – and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">now she’s</span> <span style="color: red;">a</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">pregnant</span> <u><span style="color: red;">whore</span></u><span style="color: red;">.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah</span>
<span style="color: red;">yelled, <b>“Get</b></span><b> <span style="color: #00b050;">her out</span>
<span style="color: red;">here. Burn her
up!”</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">As they
brought her</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">out, she sent a message to her
father-in-law, “I’m pregnant by the man who owns these</span> <span style="color: red;">things. Identify them,
please. Who’s the owner of the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">seal-and-cord and</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">staff?”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah </span><span style="color: red;">saw <b><u>they were his.</u></b></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He said, “She’s</span>
<span style="color: red;">in the right; I’m in the wrong –</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I wouldn’t</span> <span style="color: red;">let</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">her</span> <span style="color: red;">marry </span><span style="color: #00b050;">my son Shelah.” He</span>
<span style="color: red;">never slept</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with her
again.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">When the
time came to give birth, </span><span style="color: red;">it turned out that</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">there were twins in her womb. As she was giving birth, one put his hand
out; the midwife</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">tied a</span> <span style="color: red;">red</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">thread on his</span> <span style="color: red;">hand saying,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“This one
came out first.” But</span> <span style="color: red;">then </span><span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">pulled it</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">back</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his brother came out. She said,</span> <span style="color: red;">“Oh! A breakout!”
So she</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">named</span> <span style="color: red;">him</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Perez</span> <span style="color: red;">(Breakout).</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Then his brother came out</span> <span style="color: red;">with</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">red</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">thread on his</span> <span style="color: red;">hand. They named him</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Zerah</span> <span style="color: red;">(Bright).</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
(Genesis 38:24-30)</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">About</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">three months later Judah was
told, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar</span> <span style="color: red;">is guilty
of <u>prostitution</u>, and as a result</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she
is</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">now</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">pregnant."</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Judah</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">said, <b>"Bring</b></span><b> <span style="color: #00b050;">her out</span> <span style="color: red;">and have her
burned to death!"</span></b><span style="color: red;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">As she was being brought </span></i><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">out, she sent a
message to her father-in-law. "I am pregnant by the man who owns
these,"</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">she said. And she added,
"See if you recognize whose</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">seal and
cord and staff</span> <span style="color: red;">these are."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Judah</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">recognized them and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">said, "She is</span> <span style="color: red;">more
righteous than I, since</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I wouldn't</span> <span style="color: red;">give</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">her</span> <span style="color: red;">to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my son Shelah."</span>
<span style="color: red;">And</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">did not sleep</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with her
again.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">When the time came</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">for
her</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to give birth,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">there were twin boys in her womb. As she was giving birth, one</span> <span style="color: red;">of them</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">put out his hand;</span>
<span style="color: red;">so</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the midwife</span>
<span style="color: red;">took</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">a</span> <span style="color: red;">scarlet</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">thread </span><span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">tied</span> <span style="color: red;">it</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">on his</span> <span style="color: red;">wrist and said,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"This
one came out first." But</span> <span style="color: red;">when</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">drew</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">back</span> <span style="color: red;">his hand,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his brother came
out,</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she
said,</span> <span style="color: red;">"So this is how you have broken
out!" And he was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">named Perez.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Then his brother,</span>
<span style="color: red;">who had</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">scarlet</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">thread on his</span>
<span style="color: red;">wrist,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">came out</span>
<span style="color: red;">and he was given the name</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Zerah.</span> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> (Genesis 38:24-30)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Peterson strikes the word that many
of us would find offensive not once but twice.
The men called her a whore. The
NIV still packs some punch by calling her guilty of prostitution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Judah had some righteous
wrath. Burn her! He had it at least until he saw the seal,
cord and staff. Then he was deflated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Judah knew he was in the
wrong. He was withholding his son Shelah
from Tamar. Judah was forcing Tamar to
earn her living from prostitution. And
he took advantage of her vulnerability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Yep! That’s egg on the face in spades.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">It is things like these that I
think about in the passage from the gospel according to John where the adulterous
woman is brought out to be stoned. These
were likely the kinds of things that Jesus was writing in the dirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-11482765516397153852015-02-04T19:46:00.001-06:002015-02-04T19:46:42.963-06:00Judah Wanders Away - Part 2. Genesis 38:12-23<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The deceivers are once again deceived. Oh, the irony! Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">T</span><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">ime</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">passed.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah’s wife, <u>Shua</u></span><u><span style="color: red;">’s</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">daughter</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">, died. When</span>
<span style="color: red;">the time of mourning was over,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his friend Hirah</span> <span style="color: red;">of
Adullam</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">went to Timnah</span> <span style="color: red;">for the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">sheep shearing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Tamar
was told, “Your father-in-law</span> <span style="color: red;">had gone</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Timnah to shear his sheep.” She took off her widow’s clothes,</span> <span style="color: red;">put on</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">a veil to disguise
herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the road to Timnah. She </span><span style="color: red;">realized
by now that even though Shelah was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">grown up,
she</span> <span style="color: red;">wasn’t going to be married to him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah
saw her</span> <span style="color: red;">and assumed</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she was a prostitute</span> <span style="color: red;">since</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">she had</span> <span style="color: red;">veiled</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">her face.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">He</span> <span style="color: red;">left the
road and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">went over to her.</span> <span style="color: red;">He</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">said, “Let me sleep with you.”</span> <span style="color: red;">He had no idea</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">that she was his daughter-in-law.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">She </span><span style="color: red;">said,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“What will you</span>
<span style="color: red;">pay</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">me?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">“I’ll
send you,” he said, “a</span> <span style="color: red;">kid</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">goat from</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">flock.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">She</span>
<span style="color: red;">said, “Not unless</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you
give me a pledge until you send it.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">“So</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">what</span> <span style="color: red;">would you want
in the way of a</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">pledge?”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">She</span>
<span style="color: red;">said,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“Your</span> <span style="color: red;">personal</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">seal-and-cord and
the staff</span> <span style="color: red;">that you carry.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">He </span><span style="color: red;">handed</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">them</span> <span style="color: red;">over</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to her and slept with
her. And she</span> <span style="color: red;">got</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">pregnant.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">She</span>
<span style="color: red;">then</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">left</span> <span style="color: red;">and went home.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">She</span> <span style="color: red;">removed </span><span style="color: #00b050;">her veil and put on her widow’s clothes</span> <span style="color: red;">back on.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah
sent the</span> <span style="color: red;">kid</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">goat
by his friend</span> <span style="color: red;">Adullam to recover the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">pledge from the woman.
But he</span> <span style="color: red;">could</span><span style="color: #00b050;">n’t find her. He
asked the men</span> <span style="color: red;">of that place,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“Where’s the prostitute</span> <span style="color: red;">that
used to sit by</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the road</span> <span style="color: red;">here near</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Enaim?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">They
said, “There</span><span style="color: red;">’s never </span><span style="color: #00b050;">been</span> <span style="color: red;">a</span><span style="color: #00b050;"> prostitute here.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">He
went back to Judah and said, “I</span> <span style="color: red;">could</span><span style="color: #00b050;">n’t find her. The
men there said there</span> <span style="color: red;">never</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">has been</span> <span style="color: red;">a</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">prostitute</span> <span style="color: red;">there.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah
said, “Let her</span> <span style="color: red;">have it then. If we keep looking, everyone will be poking
fun at us. I kept my part of the bargain
–</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I</span> <span style="color: red;">sent the
kid</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">goat but you</span> <span style="color: red;">couldn’t </span><span style="color: #00b050;">find her.”</span></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis
38:12-23) <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">A</span><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">fter a long</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">time</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah's wife,</span>
<u><span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">daughter</span>
<span style="color: red;">of </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Shua</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">, died.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah</span> <span style="color: red;">had recovered from
his grief, he went up</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Timnah,</span> <span style="color: red;">to the men who were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">shearing</span>
<span style="color: red;">his</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">sheep,</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his friend Hirah</span>
<span style="color: red;">the Adullamite went</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with</span>
<span style="color: red;">him.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">When</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law</span> <span style="color: red;">is on his way</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Timnah to
shear his sheep," she took off her widow's clothes,</span> <span style="color: red;">covered herself with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">a
veil to disguise herself, and</span> <span style="color: red;">then</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">sat</span> <span style="color: red;">down</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah.</span>
<span style="color: red;">For</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she</span> <span style="color: red;">saw that,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">though Shelah</span>
<span style="color: red;">had now</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">grown up,
she</span> <span style="color: red;">had not been given to him as his wife.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">When</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah saw her,</span> <span style="color: red;">he thought</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">she was a prostitute,</span> <span style="color: red;">for</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she had</span> <span style="color: red;">covered</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">her face.</span> <span style="color: red;">Not realizing</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">that she was his daughter-in-law,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he went over to her</span> <span style="color: red;">by the
roadside and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">said,</span> <span style="color: red;">"Come now,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">let me
sleep with you."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">"And</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">what will you</span> <span style="color: red;">give</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">me</span> <span style="color: red;">to sleep with
you?"</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she</span> <span style="color: red;">asked.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">"I'll send you a</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">young</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">goat from</span>
<span style="color: red;">my</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">flock," he
said.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">"Will</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">you give me</span> <span style="color: red;">something as</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">a pledge until you send it?"</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she</span> <span style="color: red;">asked. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">He said,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">"What pledge</span> <span style="color: red;">should I
give you?" <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">"Your seal and</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">its</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">cord, and
the staff</span> <span style="color: red;">in your hand,"</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she</span> <span style="color: red;">answered. So</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">gave them</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to her and slept with her, and she</span> <span style="color: red;">became</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">pregnant</span> <span style="color: red;">by him. After</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she left, she</span> <span style="color: red;">took off</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">her veil and put on her widow's clothes</span> <span style="color: red;">again.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah sent the</span> <span style="color: red;">young</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">goat by his friend</span> <span style="color: red;">the
Adullamite in order to get his</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">pledge</span>
<span style="color: red;">back</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">from the woman,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">but he</span> <span style="color: red;">did</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">not find her. He
asked the men</span> <span style="color: red;">who lived there,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"Where is the</span> <b><span style="color: red;">shrine</span></b> <span style="color: #00b050;">prostitute</span>
<span style="color: red;">who was beside</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the
road</span> <span style="color: red;">at</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Enaim?"</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">"There</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">hasn't </span><span style="color: #00b050;">been</span> <span style="color: red;">any <b>shrine</b></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">prostitute here," they said. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">So</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">he went back to Judah and said, "I</span> <span style="color: red;">did</span><span style="color: #00b050;">n't find her.</span> <span style="color: red;">Besides,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the men</span> <span style="color: red;">who lived</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">there said,
'There</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">has</span><span style="color: red;">n't</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">been</span> <span style="color: red;">any <b>shrine</b></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">prostitute</span>
<span style="color: red;">here.'"</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Then</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah said, "Let her</span> <span style="color: red;">keep
what she has, or we will become a laughingstock. After all,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I</span> <span style="color: red;">did send her this young</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">goat, but you </span><span style="color: red;">didn't</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">find her."</span></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 38:12-23)<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It seems that Peterson’s misnomer about Shua being the
name of Judah’s wife is now rectified.
It makes me wonder more about the reason for that ambiguous distinction
in the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And Judah is fooled by Tamar’s dress. He thinks she’s a <i>shrine </i>prostitute. The “shrine”
designation is important. Five of the
nine translations that I looked at include that distinction in one form or
another. It shows clearly the
unrighteousness of Judah. He was
frequenting shrine prostitutes. He was
embracing other gods.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Judah should be more worried about how God will react to
his behaviors and attitudes than how other people will see him! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-3030234280103607502015-02-04T19:45:00.000-06:002015-02-04T19:45:02.665-06:00Judah Wanders Away. Genesis 38:1-11<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now, we leave the story of Joseph to pick up the story
of Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar.
We can learn many things from this digression. Family crisis can cause division – especially
when we think of “in-laws’”. Read from
Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">About</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">that
time, Judah</span> <b><span style="color: red;">separated from</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: #00b050;">his brothers and</span> <span style="color: red;">hooked up</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">with a man</span> <span style="color: red;">in</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Adullam named Hirah</span>. <span style="color: red;">While</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">there, Judah met <b>the
daughter <u>of a Canaanite</u></b><u> named Shua</u>.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He married her,</span>
<span style="color: red;">they went to bed,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she
became pregnant and</span> <span style="color: red;">had</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">a son named Er.
She</span> <span style="color: red;">got pregnant</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">again and</span> <span style="color: red;">had</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">a son named Onan.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">She</span> <span style="color: red;">had</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">still another son;</span> <span style="color: red;">she</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">named</span> <span style="color: red;">this one</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Shelah.</span>
<span style="color: red;">They were living</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">at
Kezib </span><span style="color: red;">when</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she</span>
<span style="color: red;">had</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah
got a wife for Er, his firstborn.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Her name was Tamar. But Judah’s firstborn, Er,</span> <span style="color: red;">grievously offended <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span>
and <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> took his life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">So</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah</span> <span style="color: red;">told</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Onan,</span> <span style="color: red;">“Go sleep</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with your brother’s</span> <b><span style="color: red;">widow</span></b><span style="color: red;">; it’s
the duty of a brother-in-law to keep your brother’s line alive.” </span> <span style="color: #00b050;">But Onan knew that
the</span> <span style="color: red;">child</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">wouldn’t
be his, so whenever he</span> <span style="color: red;">slept</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with his brother’s</span> <b><span style="color: red;">widow</span></b> <span style="color: #00b050;">he
spilled his semen on the ground</span> <span style="color: red;">so he wouldn’t
produce a child</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">for his brother.</span> <span style="color: red; font-variant: small-caps;">God</span><span style="color: red;"> was much offended by what he did
and also took his life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> So </span></i><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Judah</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">stepped
in and told</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his daughter-in-law, Tamar,
“Live as a <b>widow</b></span> <span style="color: red;">at home with your father</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">until
my son Shelah grows up.” </span><span style="color: red;">He was worried that Shelah would also end up dead,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">just like his brothers.
So Tamar went to live</span> <span style="color: red;">with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">her father.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> (Genesis
38:1-11)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">At</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">that time, Judah</span> <b><span style="color: red;">left</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: #00b050;">his brothers and</span> <span style="color: red;">went down to stay</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with a
man</span> <span style="color: red;">of Adullam</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">named
Hirah. There Judah met <b>the daughter of <u>a Canaanite</u></b></span><u>
<span style="color: red;">man</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">named Shua</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He married her</span>
<span style="color: red;">and lay with her;</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she
became pregnant and</span> <span style="color: red;">gave birth to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">a son, </span><span style="color: red;">who was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">named Er.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">She </span><span style="color: red;">conceived </span><span style="color: #00b050;">again and</span> <span style="color: red;">gave birth to</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">a son and named</span> <span style="color: red;">him</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Onan. She</span>
<span style="color: red;">gave birth to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">still
another son</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">named</span>
<span style="color: red;">him</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shelah.</span> <span style="color: red;">It was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">at Kezib</span> <span style="color: red;">that</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she</span> <span style="color: red;">gave birth to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">and her</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">name was
Tamar. But Er, Judah's firstborn,</span>
<span style="color: red;">was wicked in the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>'s
sight; so the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> put him to
death. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Then</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Judah</span> <span style="color: red;">said to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Onan,</span> <span style="color: red;">"Lie with your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to
her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother."</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">But Onan knew
that the</span> <span style="color: red;">offspring</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">would not be his; so whenever he</span> <span style="color: red;">lay</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with his brother's</span>
<span style="color: red;">wife,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he spilled his
semen on the ground</span> <span style="color: red;">to keep from producing
offspring</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">for his brother.</span> <span style="color: red;">What he did was
wicked in the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>'s sight; so he
put him to death also. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Judah</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">then said to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Live as a <b>widow</b></span> <span style="color: red;">in
your father's house</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">until my son Shelah
grows up."</span> <span style="color: red;">For he thought, "He may die
too,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">just like his brothers." So Tamar
went to live</span> <span style="color: red;">in her</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">father</span><span style="color: red;">'s house.</span></span></i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">(Genesis 38:1-11)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The only puzzling difference between these two passages
is the distinction of Peterson calling Judah’s first wife Shuah, while the NIV
and some of the others seem to give her father that name. Many other translations are very vague at who
the name actually belongs to. The name
is neuter, and interestingly enough it means opulence. I guess who we assign the name to the
daughter or the father is just plain vague.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The problems of Judah’s family begin in the first few
words. Judah left… or Judah separated
from his brothers. Judah then married a
Canaanite woman – a departure from his ancestors. And Judah ended up with sons who were wicked
and greatly offended the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Judah and his sons did not follow through and do the
right thing for Tamar. As a widow
(Peterson rightly emphasizes her status as a widow), Tamar is extremely
vulnerable without sons. I know Er’s
brothers were supposed to produce a son for their brother, but Tamar would
benefit most from such a birth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As followers of God, we need to do rightly by the
vulnerable in our midst – regardless of the cost to us. May it be so!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-58275781673587086522015-02-01T06:36:00.000-06:002015-02-01T06:36:19.089-06:00A Suffering, Broken, Dysfunctional Family. Genesis 37:23-36<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Sometimes to continue living is a heavier sentence than
death. There’s more suffering. That’s what Joseph’s half-brothers
decided. But deception was at the heart
of their plan. They were deceivers just
like their father. It seems that the
fruit has not fallen far from the tree.
Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">When
Joseph</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: red;">reached</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his
brothers, they</span> <span style="color: red;">ripped off</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">fancy coat</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he was wearing,</span> <span style="color: red;">grabbed</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">him, and threw him into</span> <span style="color: red;">a</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">cistern.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">The cistern was</span>
<span style="color: red;">dry;</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">there was</span><span style="color: red;">n’t any </span><span style="color: #00b050;">water in it.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">Then</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">they sat down to eat their</span> <span style="color: red;">supper. Looking</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites</span> <span style="color: red;">on their way</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">from Gilead,
their camels loaded with spices,</span> <span style="color: red;">ointments, and
perfumes to sell in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Egypt. Judah said,</span> <span style="color: red;">“Brothers,
what are we going to get out of killing</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">our
brother and</span> <span style="color: red;">concealing the evidence?</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Let’s sell him to
the Ishmaelites,</span> <span style="color: red;">but let’s not kill him –</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">he is after all, our brother, our own flesh and
blood.” His brothers agreed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">By the
time</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the Midianite</span> <span style="color: red;">traders were passing</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">by. His brothers pulled Joseph out of the cistern
and sold him for twenty</span> <span style="color: red;">pieces </span><span style="color: #00b050;">of silver to the Ishmaelites who took</span> <span style="color: red;">Joseph with them down</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to
Egypt.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <u><span style="color: red;">Later</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Reuben</span> <span style="color: red;">came back and
went</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to the cistern –</span> <span style="color: red;">no</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph!</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He</span> <span style="color: red;">ripped</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his clothes</span> <span style="color: red;">in despair. Beside himself,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">he went to his brothers. “The boy’s</span> <span style="color: red;">gone! What am I going to do?”</span><o:p></o:p></u></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">They
</span><span style="color: red;">took</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph’s</span>
<span style="color: red;">coat, butchered</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">a
goat, and dipped the</span> <span style="color: red;">coat</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the blood</span>.
<span style="color: #00b050;">They took the</span> <span style="color: red;">fancy coat</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">back to their father and said,
“We found this.</span> <span style="color: red;">Look it over – do you think this</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">is your son’s</span> <span style="color: red;">coat?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">He
recognized it</span> <span style="color: red;">at once.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“My son’s</span> <span style="color: red;">coat – a wild</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">animal has</span>
<span style="color: red;">eaten</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him. Joseph torn</span> <span style="color: red;">limb
from limb!”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob
tore his clothes</span> <span style="color: red;">in grief, dressed in rough
burlap,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and mourned his son</span> <span style="color: red;">a long, long time.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">His sons and daughters</span> <span style="color: red;">tried </span><span style="color: #00b050;">to comfort him but
he refused</span> <span style="color: red;">their comfort.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“I’ll go to the
grave mourning my son.”</span> <span style="color: red;">Oh, how</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his father wept
for him.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">In
Egypt the Midianites sold Joseph to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials,</span>
<b><span style="color: red;">manager of his
household affairs.</span></b> </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 37:23-36)<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">So</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">when Joseph</span> <span style="color: red;">came to</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">his brothers, they</span> <span style="color: red;">stripped
him of his robe –</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">richly ornamented robe</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he
was wearing –</span> <span style="color: red;">and they took</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him and threw him into</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">cistern.</span> <span style="color: red;">Now</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the cistern was</span> <span style="color: red;">empty;</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">there was</span> <span style="color: red;">no</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">water in it.</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">As</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">they sat down to eat their</span> <span style="color: red;">meal,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">they</span> <span style="color: red;">looked</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">up</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">saw a caravan of
Ishmaelites</span> <span style="color: red;">coming </span><span style="color: #00b050;">from Gilead. Their camels</span> <span style="color: red;">were</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">loaded with spices,</span> <span style="color: red;">balm
and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Egypt.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Judah said</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">to his brothers,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"What</span>
<span style="color: red;">will we gain if we kill</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">our
brother and</span> <span style="color: red;">cover up his blood? Come,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">let's
sell him to the Ishmaelites</span> <span style="color: red;">and not lay our
hands on him;</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">after all, he is our brother,
our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">So when</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">the Midianite</span> <span style="color: red;">merchants
came</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">by, his brothers pulled Joseph</span> <span style="color: red;">up</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">out of the cistern and
sold him for twenty</span> <span style="color: red;">shekels </span><span style="color: #00b050;">of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took</span> <span style="color: red;">him</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Egypt.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><u><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">When</span></u></i><i><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Reuben</span> <span style="color: red;">returned</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to the cistern</span> <span style="color: red;">and saw
that Joseph was not there,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">tore</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his clothes. He went</span> <span style="color: red;">back</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">to his brothers </span><span style="color: red;">and
said,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"The boy is</span><span style="color: red;">n't there! Where can I turn now?" </span><o:p></o:p></span></u></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Then</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">they</span> <span style="color: red;">got</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph's</span> <span style="color: red;">robe, slaughtered</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">a goat and dipped the</span> <span style="color: red;">robe</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the blood. They took the</span> <span style="color: red;">ornamented
robe</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">back to their father and said, "We
found this.</span> <span style="color: red;">Examine it to see whether it</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">is your son's</span> <span style="color: red;">robe."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">He recognized it</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">and said, "It is</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my son's</span> <span style="color: red;">robe! Some
ferocious</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">animal has</span> <span style="color: red;">devoured</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him. Joseph</span>
<span style="color: red;">has surely been</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">torn</span>
<span style="color: red;">to pieces."
Then </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob tore his clothes,</span> <span style="color: red;">put on sackcloth</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and
mourned for his son</span> <span style="color: red;">many days. All</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his
sons and daughters</span> <span style="color: red;">came </span><span style="color: #00b050;">to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">comfort him, but he
refused</span> <span style="color: red;">to be comforted. "No," he
said, "in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">mourning will I go</span> <span style="color: red;">down</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to the grave to my
son."</span> <span style="color: red;">So</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his
father wept for him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of
Pharaoh's officials,</span> <b><span style="color: red;">the captain of the guard.</span></b></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 37:23-36)</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The one thing that throws up a red flag for me is the
very last phrase of this passage. Who
was Potiphar? The NIV (and most other
translations) name him as a captain of the guard… or something similar. Why would Peterson choose to call him the
manager of his household affairs? Wasn’t
that to be Joseph’s job for Potiphar?
This choice of Peterson causes unnecessary confusion. I like the NIV better in this instance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Joseph’s half-brothers (minus Reuben apparently) decided
to sell Joseph into slavery in Egypt.
Judah led them in this decision.
The brothers earned some money, and they ensured that Joseph would no
longer pester them and tell on them. And
Joseph would suffer in slavery. What
could be better for that little tattle-tale brat?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And, have you ever wondered why Reuben left in the first
place? What was Reuben returning
from? Was he caring for the flocks as his
younger brothers ate the meal? If we
want to ensure an undecided outcome, it’s best if we stay nearby and monitor
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Then, there’s the deception of their father Jacob. The deceiver is once again deceived, this
time by his own sons. And the deception
worked exceptionally well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Talk about a dysfunctional
family! How would God heal this
fractured family? Only time would tell. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now… </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-76656532442031954482015-01-31T06:50:00.003-06:002015-01-31T06:50:49.492-06:00Taming the Green-Eyed Monster of Jealousy. Genesis 37:12-22<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">My mother calls it “the green-eyed monster”. Jealousy can make us do some monstrous
things. Just look at what Joseph’s
half-brothers did to him. Read from
Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">His brothers had gone</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">off to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem</span> <span style="color: red;">where they were pasturing</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">their
father’s flocks. <b>Israel</b> said to Joseph, “Your brothers are</span> <span style="color: red;">with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the flocks</span> <span style="color: red;">in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem. Come, I</span> <span style="color: red;">want</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">to send you to them.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">Joseph said,
“I’m ready.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">He said,
“Go and see</span> <span style="color: red;">how</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">your
brothers and the flocks</span> <span style="color: red;">are doing</span> <u><span style="color: #00b050;">and bring me</span> <span style="color: red;">back a report</span></u><span style="color: red;">.”</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He sent him off from the valley of Hebron</span> <span style="color: red;">to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">A man</span>
<span style="color: red;">met him as he was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">wandering</span>
<span style="color: red;">through</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the fields
and asked him,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“What are you looking for?”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">“I’m</span>
<span style="color: red;">trying to find</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my
brothers</span>. <span style="color: red;">Do you have any idea</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">where they are
grazing their flocks?”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">The man</span>
<span style="color: red;">said,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“They’ve</span>
<span style="color: red;">left</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">here,</span> <span style="color: red;">but</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I</span> <span style="color: red;">overheard</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">them say, ‘Let’s
go to Dothan.’” So Joseph</span> <span style="color: red;">took off, <b>tracked</b></span><b> <span style="color: #00b050;">his brothers</span>
<span style="color: red;">down,</span></b> <span style="color: #00b050;">and found
them</span> <span style="color: red;">in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Dothan.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">They</span>
<span style="color: red;">spotted</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him</span> <span style="color: red;">off</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the distance.</span> <span style="color: red;">By the time</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">got to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">them</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">they</span> <span style="color: red;">had cooked up a plot</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to
kill him.</span> <span style="color: red;">The brothers were saying,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“<u>Here
comes that dreamer</u>. Let’s kill him
and throw him into one of these</span> <span style="color: red;">old</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">cisterns;</span> <span style="color: red;">we can</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">say that a</span> <span style="color: red;">vicious</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">animal</span> <span style="color: red;">ate</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him</span> <span style="color: red;">up.</span> <u><span style="color: #00b050;">We’ll see what
his dreams</span> <span style="color: red;">amount to</span></u><span style="color: red;">.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Reuben
heard</span> <span style="color: red;">the brothers talking and intervened to
save</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him,</span> <span style="color: red;">“We’re</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">not</span> <span style="color: red;">going to kill
him. No murder. Go ahead and </span><span style="color: #00b050;">throw
him</span> <span style="color: red;">in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">this
cistern</span> <span style="color: red;">out</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">here
in the</span> <span style="color: red;">wild,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">but
don’t</span> <span style="color: red;">hurt</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him.” Reuben</span> <span style="color: red;">planned
to go back later and get him out</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and take
him back to his father.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> (Genesis 37:12-22)</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Now</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">his brothers had gone</span>
<span style="color: red;">to graze</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">their
father's flocks</span> <span style="color: red;">near</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem,</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <b><span style="color: #00b050;">Israel</span></b><span style="color: #00b050;"> said to Joseph,</span> <span style="color: red;">"As
you know,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">your brothers are</span> <span style="color: red;">grazing</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the flocks</span> <span style="color: red;">near</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem. Come, I</span>
<span style="color: red;">am going</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to send you
to them."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">"Very well," he replied. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">So</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">he said</span> <span style="color: red;">to him,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"Go and see</span>
<span style="color: red;">if all is well with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">your
brothers and</span> <span style="color: red;">with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the flocks, <u>and bring</u></span><u> <span style="color: red;">word
back to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">me</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">."</span> <span style="color: red;">Then</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">When Joseph arrived at</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem,
a man</span> <span style="color: red;">found him</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">wandering
</span><span style="color: red;">around in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the
fields and asked him, "What are you looking for?" <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">He replied,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">"I'm</span> <span style="color: red;">looking for</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my brothers.</span>
<span style="color: red;">Can you tell me</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">where
they are grazing their flocks?"</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">"They have</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">moved
on from</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">here,"</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the man</span> <span style="color: red;">answered.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"I</span> <span style="color: red;">heard </span><span style="color: #00b050;">them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.'" <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">So Joseph</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <b><span style="color: red;">went after</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his brothers
and found them</span></b> <span style="color: red;">near</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Dothan. </span> <span style="color: red;">But</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">they</span> <span style="color: red;">saw</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him in the distance,</span>
<span style="color: red;">and before</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span>
<span style="color: red;">reached</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">them, they</span>
<span style="color: red;">plotted</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to kill him.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">"<u>Here comes that dreamer</u>!"</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">they said to each other.
"Come now,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">let's kill him and
throw him into one of these cisterns</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">say that a</span> <span style="color: red;">ferocious</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">animal</span> <span style="color: red;">devoured</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">him.</span> <u><span style="color: red;">Then</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">we'll see what</span> <span style="color: red;">comes of</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">his dreams</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">When</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Reuben heard</span> <span style="color: red;">this, he tried to rescue</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him</span>
<span style="color: red;">from their hands. "Let's</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">not</span> <span style="color: red;">take his life,"
he said. "Don't shed any blood.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Throw him</span> <span style="color: red;">into</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">this cistern here in the</span> <span style="color: red;">desert,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">but don't</span> <span style="color: red;">lay a hand on</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him."
Reuben</span> <span style="color: red;">said this to rescue him from them</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and take him back to his father.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> (Genesis
37:12-22)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">From the passage we read yesterday, we know that Joseph
was apt to tell stories on his brothers and get them in trouble with their
father. When Israel (And it does say
Israel rather than Jacob here!) sent Joseph to check in on his brothers, Joseph
was champing at the bit to go (“very well” in the NIV and “I’m ready” in
Peterson’s work). I have no problem with
either the NIV or Peterson’s work in this case.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">However, there seems to be quite a difference between
Joseph “tracking his brothers down” (Peterson) and “going after his brothers”
(NIV). Peterson seems to assume a
willful intent to disparage his brothers.
Indeed, perhaps that was the case… but I think Peterson is being unduly
harsh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Then the green-eyed monster of jealousy rears its ugly
head in a plot to murder a brother. Do
you hear the echo of the conflict between Cain and Abel here? I can.
“Let’s see what comes of his dreams… what they’ll amount to.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">But Reuben kept his head. He was the firstborn of Jacob. He was the oldest, so Reuben took it on
himself to save his brother from certain death.
Perhaps Reuben learned a valuable lesson the hard way when he disappointed
his father by sleeping with his father’s concubine. Reuben no longer wanted to disappoint his
father. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May we be as good at learning from
our mistakes! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-53754519537109823472015-01-30T18:49:00.000-06:002015-01-30T18:49:11.755-06:00Joseph, The Dreamer. Genesis 37:1-11<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Chase your dreams… just not at the expense of your
relationships. That’s the lesson that Joseph
needed to learn. It would be good for us
to learn it, too. Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <u><span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span></u> <span style="color: red;">had <b>settled down</b></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">where his father had</span> <span style="color: red;">lived,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the land of Canaan.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">This
is the</span> <span style="color: red;">story </span><span style="color: #00b050;">of
<u>Jacob</u>.</span> <span style="color: red;">The story continues with </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph,
seventeen</span> <span style="color: red;">years old at the time, helping out his</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">brothers</span> <span style="color: red;">in herding</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the flocks.</span>
<span style="color: red;">These were his half-brothers actually,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah.</span> <span style="color: red;">And Joseph</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">brought</span> <span style="color: red;">his</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">father bad</span> <span style="color: red;">reports on</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">them.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <b><span style="color: #00b050;">Israel</span></b><span style="color: #00b050;">
loved Joseph more than any of his other sons because he</span> <span style="color: red;">was the child of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his old
age. And he made him an elaborately
embroidered coat. When his brothers </span><span style="color: red;">realized</span><span style="color: #00b050;"> that</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">their father loved him more than them, they</span> <span style="color: red;">grew to hate</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him –</span> <span style="color: red;">they wouldn’t even speak </span><span style="color: #00b050;">to
him.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph
had a dream. When he told it to his
brothers, they hated him </span><span style="color: red;">even more.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He said, “Listen
to this dream I had. We were</span> <span style="color: red;">all</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">out in the field</span>
<span style="color: red;">gathering bundles of wheat. All of a sudden</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my</span> <span style="color: red;">bundle</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">stood</span> <span style="color: red;">straight up and</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">your</span> <span style="color: red;">bundles circled</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">around</span> <span style="color: red;">it </span><span style="color: #00b050;">and bowed down to</span> <span style="color: red;">mine.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">His
brothers said, </span><span style="color: red;">“So! You’re going to rule</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">us?</span> <span style="color: red;">You’re going to boss</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">us</span>
<span style="color: red;">around?”</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">And they hated him</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">more</span>
<span style="color: red;">than ever</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">because of
his</span> <span style="color: red;">dreams</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and</span>
<span style="color: red;">the way he talked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">He
had another dream and told</span> <span style="color: red;">this one also</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to his brothers:</span> <span style="color: red;">“I
dreamed</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">another dream –</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the sun and moon and eleven stars</span> <span style="color: red;">bowed</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">down to me!”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">When
he told</span> <span style="color: red;">it to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his
father</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">brothers,
his father</span> <span style="color: red;">reprimanded</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him: “What’s</span> <span style="color: red;">with all</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">this</span> <span style="color: red;">dreaming? Am</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I and
your mother and your brothers</span> <span style="color: red;">all supposed to</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">bow down</span> <span style="color: red;">to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you?”</span> <span style="color: red;">Now </span><span style="color: #00b050;">his brothers were</span>
<span style="color: red;">really</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">jealous;</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">but his father</span> <b><span style="color: red;">brooded over the whole business.</span></b></span></i><span style="color: red; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">(Genesis
37:1-11)<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><u><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Jacob</span></u></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <b><span style="color: red;">lived</span></b><span style="color: red;"> in the land</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">where his
father had</span> <span style="color: red;">stayed,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the land of Canaan.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">This is the</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">account</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of <u>Jacob</u>.</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Joseph,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">a young man of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">seventeen,</span>
<span style="color: red;">was tending</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the
flocks</span> <span style="color: red;">with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his
brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives,</span>
<span style="color: red;">and he</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">brought</span>
<span style="color: red;">their</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">father</span> <span style="color: red;">a</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">bad</span> <span style="color: red;">report about</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Now</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <b><span style="color: #00b050;">Israel </span></b><span style="color: #00b050;">loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he</span>
<span style="color: red;">had been born to him in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his
old age; and he made</span> <span style="color: red;">a richly ornamented robe
for him.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When
his brothers</span> <span style="color: red;">saw</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">that
their father loved him more than</span> <span style="color: red;">any of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">them, they</span> <span style="color: red;">hated</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him</span> <span style="color: red;">and could not speak a
kind word</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to him.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Joseph had a dream,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">when he
told it to his brothers, they hated him</span> <span style="color: red;">all the
more.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He
said</span> <span style="color: red;">to them,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"Listen
to this dream I had: We were</span> <span style="color: red;">binding sheaves of grain</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">out
in the field</span> <span style="color: red;">when suddenly</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my</span> <span style="color: red;">sheaf rose and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">stood</span> <span style="color: red;">upright, while</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">your</span> <span style="color: red;">sheaves
gathered</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">around mine and bowed down to</span>
<span style="color: red;">it."</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">His brothers said</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">to him, "Do you intend to reign over</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">us?</span> <span style="color: red;">Will you actually rule</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">us?"</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">And
they hated him</span> <span style="color: red;">all the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">more</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">because of his</span>
<span style="color: red;">dream</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and</span> <span style="color: red;">what he had said.</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Then</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">he had another dream, and he told</span> <span style="color: red;">it</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to his brothers.</span>
<span style="color: red;">"Listen," he said, "I had</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">another</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">dream,</span> <span style="color: red;">and this time</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the sun and
moon and eleven stars </span><span style="color: red;">were bowing</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">down to me."</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">When he told his father</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">as well as his</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">brothers,
his father</span> <span style="color: red;">rebuked</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him</span> <span style="color: red;">and said,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"What is this</span> <span style="color: red;">dream
you had? Will</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">your mother and I and your
brothers</span> <span style="color: red;">actually come and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">bow down</span> <span style="color: red;">to the ground
before</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you?"</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">His brothers were
jealous</span> <span style="color: red;">of him,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">but
his father</span> <b><span style="color: red;">kept the matter in mind.</span></b></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 37:1-11)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Again I come back to the difference between settling
down (Peterson) and living (NIV). Jacob
/ Israel was nomadic in nature. To think
of a nomad settling down is laughable. I
like the NIV translation better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Another difference that I would like to highlight is the
last phrase. There’s a world of
difference between Jacob keeping the matter in mind (NIV) and Jacob brooding
over it (Peterson). I don’t like the negative
connotations of Peterson’s work. I think
it was a simpler reflective thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I find it fascinating that the name Israel is used when
the story tells of Jacob loving Joseph more than his other sons. I also find it interesting the reason given
for this love. Joseph was a son born to
him in his old age. It was not that
Joseph was the biological son of his favorite wife, Rachel. It’s a revealing snub of Rachel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-70197978868129806102015-01-29T19:50:00.002-06:002015-01-29T19:50:36.121-06:00King of the Edomite Hill. Genesis 36:20-43<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And, now, it’s time for The Seir Name Game. Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: red;">This is the family</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">of Seir the Horite, who were</span> <span style="color: red;">native to that land:</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer,
and Dishan. These</span> <span style="color: red;">are the chieftains of the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Horites,
</span><span style="color: red;">the</span><span style="color: #00b050;"> sons of
Seir in</span> <span style="color: red;">the land of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Edom.</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">The
sons of Lotan</span> <span style="color: red;">were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Hori and Homam; Lotan’s sister was <b>Timna.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">The
sons of Shobal</span> <span style="color: red;">were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">The
sons of Zibeon</span> <span style="color: red;">were </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Aiah and Anah – this is the </span><span style="color: red;">same </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Anah who</span> <span style="color: red;">found</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the hot springs in
the </span><span style="color: red;">wilderness</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">while</span>
<span style="color: red;">herding</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his father
Zibeon’s donkeys.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">The
children of Anah</span> <span style="color: red;">were</span><span style="color: #00b050;"> Dishon and</span> <span style="color: red;">his</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">daughter Oholibamah.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">The
sons of Dishon</span> <span style="color: red;">were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">The
sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">And</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">these were the Horite</span> <span style="color: red;">chieftains:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Lotan, Shobal,
Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan – the Horite</span> <span style="color: red;">chieftains by clan</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the
land of Seir.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">And</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">these</span> <span style="color: red;">are</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the kings who</span> <span style="color: red;">ruled</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">in Edom before</span> <span style="color: red;">there
was a king in Israel:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Bela son of Beor</span>
<span style="color: red;">was the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">king of Edom;
the name of his city was Dinhabah. When
Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah became the next king.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When Jobab died,</span>
<span style="color: red;">he was followed by </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Hushan
from the land of the Temanites.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When Hushan died</span>, <span style="color: red;">he was
followed by</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Hadad son of Bedad;</span> <span style="color: red;">he was the king</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">who
defeated </span><span style="color: red;">the Midianites</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Moab;</span> <span style="color: red;">the name of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his city was
Avith.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When
Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah</span> <span style="color: red;">became the next</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">king.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">When Samlah died, Shaul from
Rehoboth-on-the-River</span> <span style="color: red;">became</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">king.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When Shaul died,</span> <span style="color: red;">he was
followed by</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Baal-Hanan son of Acbor.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When Baal-Hanan son
of Acbor died, Hadad</span> <span style="color: red;">became</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">king;</span> <span style="color: red;">the name of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his city was Pau;</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his
wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, daughter of Me-Zahab.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">And</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">these</span> <span style="color: red;">are</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">chieftains from the
line of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau,</span> <span style="color: red;">clan by clan, region by region:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Timna,
Alvah, Jetheth, Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, Magdiel, and
Iram – the</span> <span style="color: red;">chieftains</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of Edom</span> <span style="color: red;">as</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">they occupied</span> <span style="color: red;">their
various regions.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">This</span>
<span style="color: red;">accounts for the family tree of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau,</span> <span style="color: red;">ancestor </span><span style="color: #00b050;">of </span><span style="color: red;">all </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Edomites.</span> </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 36:20-43) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">These were the sons</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">of Seir the Horite, who were</span> <span style="color: red;">living in the region:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Lotan,
Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer and Dishan.</span> <span style="color: red;">These</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">sons of Seir in Edom</span> <span style="color: red;">were </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Horite</span> <span style="color: red;">chiefs.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons of
Lotan: Hori and Homam. <b>Timna</b> was
Lotan's sister. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons of
Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho and Onam.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is
the Anah who</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">discovered
</span><span style="color: #00b050;">the hot springs in the</span> <span style="color: red;">desert</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">while</span> <span style="color: red;">he was grazing</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the donkeys
of his father Zibeon. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The children of
Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah daughter</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">of Anah.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons of
Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran and Keran.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons of Ezer:
Bilhan, Zaavan and Akan. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons of
Dishan: Uz and Aran. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">These were the Horite</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">chiefs:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Lotan,
Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer and Dishan.</span> <span style="color: red;">These
were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the Horite</span> <span style="color: red;">chiefs, according to their divisions,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the land of Seir.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">These</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the kings who</span> <span style="color: red;">reigned</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in Edom before</span>
<span style="color: red;">any Israelite king reigned: </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Bela son of Beor</span> <span style="color: red;">became </span><span style="color: #00b050;">king of Edom. His city</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">was</span>
<span style="color: red;">named</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Dinhabah.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from
Bozrah</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">succeeded him as</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">king.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When Jobab died,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Husham
from the land of the Temanites</span> <span style="color: red;">succeeded him as
king.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When
Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated</span> <span style="color: red;">Midian</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">in</span> <span style="color: red;">the country of</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Moab,</span> <span style="color: red;">succeeded him
as king.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">His city</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">was</span> <span style="color: red;">named</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Avith.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah</span> <span style="color: red;">succeeded him as</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">king.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When Samlah died,
Shaul from Rehoboth on the river</span> <span style="color: red;">succeeded him
as</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">king.
When Shaul died,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Baal-Hanan son of
Acbor</span> <span style="color: red;">succeeded him as king.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When Baal-Hanan
son of Acbor died, Hadad</span> <span style="color: red;">succeeded him as</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">king. His city was</span> <span style="color: red;">named</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Pau,</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his wife's name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, </span><span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">daughter of Me-Zahab.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">These</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">chiefs descended from</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau,</span>
<span style="color: red;">by name, according to their clans and regions: </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, Kenaz,
Teman, Mibzar, Magdiel and Iram.</span> <span style="color: red;">These were</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">chiefs </span><span style="color: #00b050;">of Edom,</span> <span style="color: red;">according to
their settlements in the land</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">they occupied.</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">This</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau</span> <span style="color: red;">the father</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of </span><span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Edomites.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 36:20-43)<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">There is little to the differences. There is much to wonder about… like the
finding of the hot springs… and the inclusion of the women… and if the Timna
noted in this Seir Name Game is the same Timna who was Eliphaz’s concubine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Regardless, the importance of kingship and chieftains is
evident in this genealogy. And the kings
did not follow from father to son. I
wonder if violence played a part in the deaths of the various Edomite kings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-64106700760739122992015-01-29T19:49:00.000-06:002015-01-29T19:49:12.690-06:00What is Chief in this Life? Genesis 36:9-19<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s The Name Game – Esau style. Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span><i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">So</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">this is the</span> <span style="color: red;">family tree</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">of Esau,</span> <span style="color: red;">ancestor</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">of the</span> <span style="color: red;">people of
Edom,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the hill country of Seir. The names of Esau’s sons:<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> Eliphaz, son of Esau’s wife
Adah;<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> Reuel, son of Esau’s wife
Basemath.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">The
sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. (Eliphaz also had a concubine Timna, who</span>
<span style="color: red;">had</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Amalek.)</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">These were the
grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">And
these are</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the sons</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah – grandsons of
Esau’s wife Basemath.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">These
are</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah,
daughter of Anah</span> <span style="color: red;">the son</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of Zibeon. She</span>
<span style="color: red;">gave</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau</span> <span style="color: red;">sons</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jeush, Jalam, and
Korah.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">These</span>
<span style="color: red;">are</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <b><span style="color: red;">chieftains</span></b><span style="color: red;"> in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau’s </span><span style="color: red;">family tree. From</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the sons of Eliphaz, Esau</span><span style="color: red;">’s</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">firstborn,</span> <span style="color: red;">came the chieftains</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Teman,
Omar, Zepho, <u>Kenaz</u>, <b>Korah</b>, Gatam, and Amalek – the</span> <span style="color: red;">chieftains of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Eliphaz in
the land of Edom;</span> <span style="color: red;">all of them sons</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of Adah.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">From the</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">sons of Esau’s son Reuel</span> <span style="color: red;">came the chieftains</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Nahath,
Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These</span>
<span style="color: red;">are</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">chieftains of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Reuel in </span><span style="color: red;">the land of</span><span style="color: #00b050;"> Edom;</span> <span style="color: red;">all these were sons</span><span style="color: #00b050;"> of
Esau’s wife Basemath.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">These
are</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah:</span>
<span style="color: red;">the chieftains</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jeush,
Jalam, and Korah –</span> <span style="color: red;">chieftains born of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau’s wife Oholibamah, daughter of Anah.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">These</span>
<span style="color: red;">are</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the sons of
Esau, that is, Edom, and these</span> <span style="color: red;">are</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">their</span> <span style="color: red;">chieftains.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 36:9-19)<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">This is the</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">account</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of Esau</span> <span style="color: red;">the father</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of the</span> <span style="color: red;">Edomites</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the hill
country of Seir.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">These are</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">the names of Esau's sons: <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Eliphaz,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">the</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">son of Esau's wife Adah,</span> <span style="color: red;">and </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Reuel,</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">son of Esau's wife
Basemath. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons of
Eliphaz: <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam and Kenaz.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Esau's
son</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Eliphaz also had a concubine
named Timna, who</span> <span style="color: red;">bore him</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Amalek. These were grandsons of Esau's wife Adah. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons of
Reuel: <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">These were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">grandsons of
Esau's wife Basemath.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons of
Esau's wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">and granddaughter</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of
Zibeon,</span> <span style="color: red;">whom</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">she</span>
<span style="color: red;">bore to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau:<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Jeush, Jalam and Korah. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">These</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the</span>
<b><span style="color: red;">chiefs</span></b><span style="color: red;"> among</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau's</span> <span style="color: red;">descendants:</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons of
Eliphaz</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">firstborn</span> <span style="color: red;">of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau:</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Chiefs</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Teman, Omar, Zepho, <u>Kenaz</u>, <b>Korah</b>, Gatam and Amalek.</span> <span style="color: red;">These were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">chiefs descended from</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Eliphaz
in Edom;</span> <span style="color: red;">they were grandsons</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of Adah.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons of Esau's son Reuel:</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">Chiefs</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Nahath, Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah. These</span> <span style="color: red;">were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">chiefs descended from</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Reuel
in Edom;</span> <span style="color: red;">they were grandsons</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of Esau's wife Basemath.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah:</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">Chiefs</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jeush, Jalam and
Korah.</span> <span style="color: red;">These were the chiefs descended from</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Esau's wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">These</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">were</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and these</span> <span style="color: red;">were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">their</span> <span style="color: red;">chiefs.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 36:9-19)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Repetition – it happens in the Hebrew Scriptures. The sons and grandsons of Esau had to be
listed not once but twice – once as descendants and once as chiefs or
chieftains. I find that
interesting. It’s important to know that
all of Esau’s descendants were chiefs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">There is also an addition of a grandson of Adah – Korah. Korah is not included in the list of her
grandchildren. Korah is included in the
grandsons of Oholibamah… but that happens in the chieftains list as well. There are two Korah’s in the chieftains.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I also note that there is a switch in the order of the
names from the descendants list and the chieftains list of Adah’s
grandsons. Kenaz and the mysterious Korah
leapfrogged Gatam in the order. I wonder
what story is hidden there!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Tomorrow, we will look at the context of Esau’s life in
Seir. It will be The Seir Name Game!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-18751994982622303632015-01-27T17:56:00.004-06:002015-01-27T17:56:35.335-06:00Wealth Can Tear Us Apart. Genesis 36:1-8<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Oh, boy! It’s
what we’ve all been waiting for – the Name Game, the Edomite Name Game. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Because, after the coming together at Isaac’s
death, separation happened over too much wealth. Wealth separates, plain and simple. Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This
is the</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">
<span style="color: red;">family tree</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of Esau,</span>
<b><span style="color: red;">who</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">is</span> <span style="color: red;">called</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Edom.</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau</span>
<span style="color: red;">married</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">women of
Canaan: Adah, daughter of Elon the Hittite; Oholibamah, daughter of Anah and</span>
<span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">granddaughter of
Zibeon the Hivite;</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Basemath, daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Adah</span>
<span style="color: red;">gave</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau Eliphaz;</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Basemath</span>
<span style="color: red;">had</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Reuel;<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> Oholibamah</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: red;">had</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">These</span>
<span style="color: red;">are</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the sons of Esau
who were born to him in</span> <span style="color: red;">the land of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Canaan.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau</span>
<span style="color: red;">gathered up</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his
wives, sons and daughters, and</span> <span style="color: red;">everybody in</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">his household,</span> <span style="color: red;">along
with all</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his livestock –</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">all</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">animals and</span> <span style="color: red;">possessions</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">he had</span> <span style="color: red;">gotten </span><span style="color: #00b050;">in Canaan –</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and moved</span>
<span style="color: red;">a considerable</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">distance</span>
<span style="color: red;">away </span><span style="color: #00b050;">from his
brother Jacob.</span> <u><span style="color: red;">The brothers had too many</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">possessions</span>
<span style="color: red;">to live together in the same place;</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the land</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">couldn’t
support</span> <span style="color: red;">their combined herds of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">livestock</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">. So Esau</span> <span style="color: red;">ended
up settling</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the hill country of Seir</span>
<b><span style="color: red;">(Esau and </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Edom</span> <span style="color: red;">are the same).</span></b>
</span></i><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">(Genesis 36:1-8)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">This is the</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">account</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of Esau</span> <b><span style="color: red;">(that</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">is, Edom).</span></b> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Esau</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">took his wives from the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">women of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite,</span>
<span style="color: red;">and </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Oholibamah
daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite –</span> <span style="color: red;">also</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Basemath daughter of
Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Adah</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">bore</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Eliphaz</span> <span style="color: red;">to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau, Basemath</span> <span style="color: red;">bore</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Reuel,</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Oholibamah</span> <span style="color: red;">bore</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jeush, Jalam and Korah.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">These</span>
<span style="color: red;">were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the sons of
Esau, who were born to him in Canaan. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Esau</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">took</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his wives</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">sons and daughters and</span> <span style="color: red;">all
the members of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his household,</span> <span style="color: red;">as well as</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his livestock</span>
<span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">all </span><span style="color: red;">his other</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">animals and</span>
<span style="color: red;">all the goods</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he had</span>
<span style="color: red;">acquired</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in Canaan,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">and moved</span> <span style="color: red;">to a land
some</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">distance from his brother Jacob.</span> <u><span style="color: red;">Their </span><span style="color: #00b050;">possessions</span> <span style="color: red;">were too great
for them to remain together;</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the land</span>
<span style="color: red;">where they were staying</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">could
not support</span> <span style="color: red;">them both because of their</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">livestock</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">. So Esau</span> <b><span style="color: red;">(that is,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Edom)</span></b>
<span style="color: red;">settled</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the hill
country of Seir.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> (Genesis 36:1-8)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Esau is Edom.
That’s clear. The statement
bookends this passage. Peterson misses
this by not translating them parallel.
This clear statement is needed to explain the origin of the Edomites.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And there it is again – a hidden gem among the
genealogies. Wealth separates. It separated Lot and Abram. It separated Esau and Jacob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Let’s be careful not to cling to our possessions. Let’s be careful not to hurt others on our
quest for possessions. People are more
important than possessions. Our
relationship to God is more important than possessions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Help us to learn this lesson, O Holy Spirit!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-88180165782208691602015-01-27T17:55:00.004-06:002015-01-27T17:55:36.425-06:00Grief Can Bring Us Together. Genesis 35:16-29<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">How well do we deal with grief when it enters our
lives? Because, sooner or later, grief
will enter – ready or not. It was true
for Jacob; it’s true for us as well.
Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">They</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">left</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Bethel. They were still</span> <span style="color: red;">quite a ways</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">from Ephrath</span>
<span style="color: red;">when</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Rachel</span> <span style="color: red;">went into labor – hard, hard labor. When her labor pains were at their worst,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid – you
have another</span> <span style="color: red;">boy.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> With her last breath,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">for she was</span> <span style="color: red;">now</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">dying, she named</span> <span style="color: red;">him</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Ben-oni</span> <span style="color: red;">(Son-of-My-Pain),</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">but his father named him Ben-jamin</span> <span style="color: red;">(Son-of-Good-Fortune).</span><span style="color: #00b050;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> Rachel died and was buried on</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">the road</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Ephrath, that
is, Bethlehem. Jacob set up a pillar</span>
<span style="color: red;">to mark her grave.
It is still there today, “Rachel’s Grave Stone.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <b><span style="color: #00b050;">Israel</span></b><span style="color: #00b050;">
</span><span style="color: red;">kept on his way and set up camp at</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Migdal Eder. While
Israel was living in that region, Reuben went and slept with his father’s
concubine, Bilhah. And Israel heard of</span>
<span style="color: red;">what he did.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">There
were</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: #00b050;">twelve sons</span> <span style="color: red;">of</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The
sons</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: red;">by</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Leah:<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> Reuben,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">Jacob’s firstborn,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The
sons</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: red;">by</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Rachel:<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> Joseph, Benjamin.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The
sons</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: red;">by</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Bilhah, Rachel’s
maid:<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> Dan, Naphtali.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The
sons</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: red;">by</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Zilpah, Leah’s
maid:<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Gad,
Asher.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">These
were</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: red;">Jacob’s sons,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">born
to him in Paddan Aram.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">Finally,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">made it back</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">home to his father Isaac</span> <span style="color: red;">at</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Mamre</span> <span style="color: red;">in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Kiriath Arba,</span> <span style="color: red;">present-day</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Hebron,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">where Abraham and Isaac had </span><span style="color: red;">lived.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Isaac</span> <span style="color: red;">was now</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">180 years </span><span style="color: red;">old. Isaac</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">breathed
his last and died –</span> <span style="color: red;">an</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">old </span><span style="color: red;">man</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">full of years.</span>
<span style="color: red;">He was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">buried</span>
<span style="color: red;">with his family by</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his
sons Esau and Jacob.</span> </span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 35:16-29)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Then</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">they</span> <span style="color: red;">moved on from</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Bethel.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">While they
were still</span> <span style="color: red;">some distance</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">from Ephrath, Rachel</span> <span style="color: red;">began
to give birth and had great difficulty. And
as she was having great difficulty in childbirth,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, </span><span style="color: red;">for</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you have another</span>
<span style="color: red;">son." As
she breathed her last – </span><span style="color: #00b050;">for she was dying –</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">she named</span> <span style="color: red;">her son</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Ben-Oni. But his father named him Benjamin.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">So</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Rachel died and was buried on</span> <span style="color: red;">the way</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Ephrath (that
is, Bethlehem).</span> <span style="color: red;">Over her tomb</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob set up
a pillar,</span> <span style="color: red;">and to this day that pillar marks
Rachel's tomb. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Israel </span></i></b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">moved on again and
pitched his tent beyond</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Migdal
Eder.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">While
Israel was living in that region, Reuben went</span> <span style="color: red;">in</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and
Israel heard of</span> <span style="color: red;">it.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Jacob</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">had</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">twelve sons:</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">of</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Leah: <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Reuben</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">the firstborn of Jacob,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Simeon,
Levi, Judah, Issachar</span> <span style="color: red;">and </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Zebulun.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">of</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Rachel: <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Joseph</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Benjamin.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">of </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Rachel's maid</span><span style="color: red;">servant</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Bilhah: <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Dan </span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">and</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Naphtali.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">The sons</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">of</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Leah's maid</span><span style="color: red;">servant</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Zilpah: <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Gad</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">and </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Asher. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">These were</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">the sons of Jacob, who were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">born
to him in Paddan Aram.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Jacob </span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">came</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">home to his father Isaac</span> <span style="color: red;">in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Mamre,</span> <span style="color: red;">near</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Kiriath Arba</span> <span style="color: red;">(that is,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Hebron),</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">where Abraham and Isaac</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">had</span>
<span style="color: red;">stayed.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Isaac </span><span style="color: red;">lived a</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">hundred and eighty years.</span> <span style="color: red;">Then he</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">breathed his last and died</span> <span style="color: red;">and was gathered to his people,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">old</span>
<span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">full of years.</span>
<span style="color: red;">And</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his sons Esau
and Jacob</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">buried </span><span style="color: red;">him.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis
35:16-29)<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Son of pain… that says it all. But Jacob names him son of good fortune
instead. As Jacob moves on from the
death of his beloved, he is finally referred to as Israel. It’s the first time that happens other than
God telling Jacob his name will be Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jacob’s beloved wife, Rachel, did not get “gathered to
her people”. She was buried alone in a
roadside grave. She did not join Sarah
and Abraham and Isaac and Rebekah.
Rachel was not God’s wife of the covenant promise. Jacob… Israel was beginning to realize that. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Sadness brought Israel closer to God and Esau
and Jacob closer together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In our sadness, let’s find ways to bond with God and
with our brothers and sisters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-41618402446815615532015-01-25T07:12:00.001-06:002015-01-25T07:12:29.545-06:00Embrace God's Covenant for You. Genesis 35:9-15<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Sometimes we need a reminder about who we are… and whose
we are. After rededicating himself and
his family to the Lord, Jacob got such a reminder… Or should I say Israel? Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">God</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">revealed
himself once</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">again to Jacob,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">after</span> <span style="color: red;">he had come back</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">from Paddan Aram and blessed him:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“Your name is Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">(Heel);</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">but</span> <u><span style="color: red;">that’s your
name</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">no longer</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">.</span> <span style="color: red;">From now on</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">your name</span>
<u><span style="color: red;">is</span></u> <span style="color: #00b050;">Israel</span>
<span style="color: red;">(God-Wrestler).”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">God</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">continued.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I am</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">The
Strong</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">God.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Have
children! Flourish!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">A nation – a</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">whole
company</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of nations! –<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">will
come from you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Kings will come from your</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">loins;</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">the
land I gave Abraham and Isaac<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">now</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">give to you,<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">and </span></i><i><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">pass it on</span></u></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">to
your descendants.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">then
God</span> <span style="color: red;">was gone, ascended from</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the place where he had</span> <span style="color: red;">spoken</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">with him.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Jacob set up a stone pillar</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">on the spot</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">where God had</span>
<span style="color: red;">spoken</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with him.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He poured a drink
offering on it</span> <span style="color: red;">and anointed it with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">oil.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">dedicated</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the place where God had</span> <span style="color: red;">spoken
</span><span style="color: #00b050;">with him, Bethel</span> <span style="color: red;">(God’s-House).</span></span></i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">(Genesis 35:9-15)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">After Jacob</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">returned</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">from Paddan Aram, God</span> <span style="color: red;">appeared</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">to</span> <span style="color: red;">him</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">again and blessed him.</span> <span style="color: red;">God said to him,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">"Your name is Jacob, but</span> <span style="color: red;">you <u>will</u></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">no longer</span>
<span style="color: red;">be called Jacob;</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">your
name</span> <u><span style="color: red;">will</span></u><span style="color: red;">
be</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Israel."</span> <span style="color: red;">So he named him Israel.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">And</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">God</span> <span style="color: red;">said to him,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"I am
God</span> <span style="color: red;">Almighty; be fruitful and increase in
number.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">A nation</span> <span style="color: red;">and </span><span style="color: #00b050;">a</span> <span style="color: red;">community of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">nations will
come from you,</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">kings will come from your</span> <span style="color: red;">body.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">The land I gave</span>
<span style="color: red;">to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Abraham and Isaac
I</span> <span style="color: red;">also</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">give
to you, and</span> <u><span style="color: red;">I will give this land</span></u> <span style="color: #00b050;">to your descendants</span> <span style="color: red;">after
you."</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Then God</span> <span style="color: red;">went up from him
at</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the place where he had</span> <span style="color: red;">talked</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with him.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Jacob set up a stone pillar</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">at the place</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">where God had</span>
<span style="color: red;">talked</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with him,</span>
<span style="color: red;">and </span><span style="color: #00b050;">he poured out a
drink offering on it;</span> <span style="color: red;">he also poured</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">oil</span> <span style="color: red;">on it.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">called </span><span style="color: #00b050;">the place where God
had</span> <span style="color: red;">talked</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with
him Bethel.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> (Genesis 35:9-15)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Though there are differences, most of them have no
change on the heart and spirit of the passage, in my opinion. There is one type, though, that gives me a
cause to pause. It’s about the timing of
the name change and the extension of the covenant with Jacob to his descendants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The NIV has God speaking about what <i>will</i> happen to Jacob’s name.
You <i>will </i>no longer be called
Jacob. Your name <i>will </i>be Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">God invites Jacob to take on a new life and
attitude. God invites Jacob to leave
behind the deceiver in him. (Jacob means
both heel and deceiver.) God invites
Jacob to wrestle with God’s purpose for his life. That’s why Jacob’s name <i>will </i>be Israel. It <i>will </i>be when Israel embraces the purpose
the Lord has for him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Israel no longer needs to fight and scrap and deceive to
get the covenantal promise first given to his grandfather Abraham. It’s his by the grace of God. And God <i>will
</i>give this covenantal promise to Jacob’s descendants. There’s no “passing on the covenant”. Israel is called to embrace that covenant and
what it means for his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">You and I have the same call. Will we embrace it? What new name will we receive? Will it be Christian? Will it be Christ-follower? Only God knows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-24483981415191145172015-01-24T06:12:00.002-06:002015-01-24T06:12:35.881-06:00Time to Purge. Genesis 35:1-8<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Who or what is first in our hearts? It’s an important question. Sometimes, we need to purge the evil
influences in our lives so that we can follow God more faithfully. It was true of Jacob. It’s true for us. Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">God</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">spoke </span><span style="color: #00b050;">to Jacob: “Go</span> <span style="color: red;">back</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Bethel.</span> <span style="color: red;">Stay</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">there and build an
altar to</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">God</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">who</span> <span style="color: red;">revealed himself</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">to you when you were</span> <span style="color: red;">running for your life</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">from your brother
Esau.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span>
<span style="color: red;">told</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his</span> <span style="color: red;">family</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and all</span> <span style="color: red;">those</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">who </span><span style="color: red;">lived</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with him,</span> <span style="color: red;">“Throw out all</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">alien</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">gods</span> <span style="color: red;">which</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you have,</span> <b><span style="color: red;">take a good bath</span></b>
<span style="color: #00b050;">and</span> <span style="color: red;">put on clean
clothes, we’re going</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Bethel.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I</span><span style="color: red;">’m going to </span><span style="color: #00b050;">build an altar</span>
<span style="color: red;">there</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">God</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">who answered me</span> <span style="color: red;">when I was
in trouble</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and has</span> <span style="color: red;">stuck</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with me</span> <span style="color: red;">everywhere </span><span style="color: #00b050;">I’ve gone</span>
<span style="color: red;">since.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">They</span>
<span style="color: red;">turned over to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob
all the</span> <span style="color: red;">alien</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">gods
they’d</span> <span style="color: red;">been holding on to, along with their <b>lucky-charm earrings.</b></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob buried them
under the oak</span> <span style="color: red;">tree in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem. Then they
set out.</span> <span style="color: red;">A
paralyzing fear descended on all the surrounding villages </span><span style="color: #00b050;">so that</span> <span style="color: red;">they were unable
to pursue the sons of Jacob.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob
and</span> <span style="color: red;">his company arrived at</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Luz, that is, Bethel, in the land of Canaan. He built an altar there and </span><span style="color: red;">named it</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">El-Bethel</span> <span style="color: red;">(God-of-Bethel)</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">because</span>
<span style="color: red;">that’s where</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">God
revealed himself to him when he was</span> <span style="color: red;">running </span><span style="color: #00b050;">from his brother.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">And that’s
when</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Rebekah’s nurse, Deborah, died.</span> <span style="color: red;">She</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">was buried</span> <span style="color: red;">just</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">below Bethel under the oak tree. It was named Allon-Bacuth</span> <span style="color: red;">(Weeping Oak).</span> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> (Genesis
35:1-8) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Then</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">God</span> <span style="color: red;">said</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Jacob, "Go</span>
<span style="color: red;">up</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Bethel</span> <span style="color: red;">and settle</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">there, and
build an altar</span> <span style="color: red;">there</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to God, who</span> <span style="color: red;">appeared</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">to you when you were</span> <span style="color: red;">fleeing</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">from your brother Esau."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">So</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">said to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his </span><span style="color: red;">household</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and</span> <span style="color: red;">to </span><span style="color: #00b050;">all</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">who</span> <span style="color: red;">were</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with him,</span> <span style="color: red;">"Get rid of</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">foreign</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">gods you have</span> <span style="color: red;">with you,
and <b>purify yourselves</b></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and</span> <span style="color: red;">change your
clothes. Then come, let us go up</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Bethel,</span> <span style="color: red;">where </span><span style="color: #00b050;">I</span> <span style="color: red;">will</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">build an altar to God, who answered me</span> <span style="color: red;">in the day of my distress</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and</span>
<span style="color: red;">who</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">has</span> <span style="color: red;">been</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with </span><span style="color: red;">me wherever</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I have
gone."</span> <span style="color: red;">So</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">they </span><span style="color: red;">gave </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob all the</span> <span style="color: red;">foreign</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">gods they had</span>
<span style="color: red;">and the rings in their ears, and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob buried them under the oak </span><span style="color: red;">at</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Then they set
out,</span> <span style="color: red;">and the terror <b>of God</b> fell upon the towns all around them</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">so that</span> <span style="color: red;">no one pursued
them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Jacob and</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">all the people with him came to</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">There he built an
altar, and he</span> <span style="color: red;">called the place</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">El Bethel, because </span><span style="color: red;">it was
there that</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">God revealed himself to him when
he was</span> <span style="color: red;">fleeing</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">from
his brother.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Now</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Deborah, Rebekah's nurse,
died</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">was
buried under the oak below Bethel.</span> <span style="color: red;">So</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">it was named Allon Bacuth.</span></span></i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> (Genesis 35:1-8)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I don’t know that to purify yourself (NIV) is equivalent
to taking a good bath (Peterson). There
is deeper meaning to purifying yourself.
I think Peterson belittles the concept of repentance. Repentance is what is happening here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Remember what just happened? The sons of Jacob had just massacred the city
of Shechem. Jacob was in fear that the
peoples of the land would gang up on his family and destroy them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s into this mess that God calls Jacob back to Bethel…
the last place he spent the night when he was fleeing in fear. And Jacob finally realized that he needed to
get right with God. Thus, the purge of
evil influences came.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Calling all foreign gods! I wonder if Rachel came forth with her father’s
household gods. Did she keep them? We are not told. Maybe she gave them to someone else to bring
forward. Maybe she came forward with
these gods. It would have greatly
grieved Jacob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And when we’ve repented and purified ourselves and once
again are following God, we fall under the protection of the Lord. The people of the land fell under the fear of
God… not just a general paralyzing fear as Peterson intimates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-54614097387462881312015-01-23T08:26:00.000-06:002015-01-23T08:26:18.179-06:00Overzealous! Genesis 34:25-31 <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jacob’s sons had made the men of Shechem
vulnerable. Now what would they do? Would they be good to their word? Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Three
days</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">
<span style="color: red;">after the circumcision,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">while
all</span> <span style="color: red;">the men</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">were
still</span> <span style="color: red;">very sore,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">two
of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers,</span> <span style="color: red;">each with his sword in hand, walked into the city as if they
owned the place and <b>murdered</b></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">every</span> <span style="color: red;">man there.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">They</span> <span style="color: red;">also killed</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Hamor and his
son Shechem,</span> <span style="color: red;">rescued</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Dinah from Shechem’s house, and left.</span> <span style="color: red;">When</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the</span> <span style="color: red;">rest of Jacob’s</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">sons came</span> <span style="color: red;">on the <b>scene of slaughter</b>, they</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">looted the</span> <span style="color: red;">entire</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">city</span> <span style="color: red;">in retaliation for
Dinah’s rape. </span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Flocks, herds, donkeys, </span><span style="color: red;">belongings
–</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">everything,</span> <span style="color: red;">whether</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the city</span> <span style="color: red;">or</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the fields –</span> <span style="color: red;">they took. And then</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">they</span> <span style="color: red;">took all the
wives</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and children</span> <span style="color: red;">captive and ransacked their homes for anything valuable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob
said to Simeon and Levi, “You’ve</span> <span style="color: red;">made my name
stink to high heaven among</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the people</span>
<span style="color: red;">here, these</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Canaanites
and Perizzites.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">If they</span> <span style="color: red;">decided to gang up
on us</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and attack,</span> <span style="color: red;">as</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">few</span> <span style="color: red;">as</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">we are</span> <span style="color: red;">we wouldn’t stand a chance; they’d wipe me and my people
right off the map.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">They</span>
<span style="color: red;">said, “Nobody is going to treat</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">our sister like a</span> <b><span style="color: red;">whore</span></b><span style="color: red;"> and
get by with it.”</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> (Genesis 34:25-31)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Three days</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">later,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">while all</span> <span style="color: red;">of them</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">were still</span> <span style="color: red;">in pain,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's
brothers,</span> <span style="color: red;">took their swords and attacked the
unsuspecting city, <b>killing</b></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">every </span><span style="color: red;">male.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">They</span> <span style="color: red;">put</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Hamor and his son
Shechem</span> <span style="color: red;">to the sword and took</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Dinah from Shechem's house and left.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">The sons</span> <span style="color: red;">of Jacob</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">came</span> <span style="color: red;">upon the <b>dead bodies</b>
and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">looted the city</span> <span style="color: red;">where their sister had been defiled. They seized their</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">flocks</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">herds</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">donkeys</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">everything</span> <span style="color: red;">else of theirs</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">in the city</span> <span style="color: red;">and out
in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the fields.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">They</span> <span style="color: red;">carried off all their wealth and all their women</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and children,</span> <span style="color: red;">taking as
plunder everything in the houses.</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Then</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob said to Simeon and
Levi, "You have</span> <span style="color: red;">brought trouble on me by
making me a stench to the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Canaanites and
Perizzites, the people</span> <span style="color: red;">living in this land.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">We are few</span> <span style="color: red;">in
number, and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">if they</span> <span style="color: red;">join forces against me</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and
attack</span> <span style="color: red;">me, I and my household will be
destroyed." <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">But</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">they</span> <span style="color: red;">replied,
"Should he have treated</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">our sister like
a</span> <b><span style="color: red;">prostitute</span></b><span style="color: red;">?"</span> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">(Genesis
34:25-31)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">They had done everything that Jacob’s sons had asked of
them. Dinah was in the home of
Shechem. They were relaxed and
unsuspecting. And they were still in
pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">That’s when Simeon and Levi descended upon the
city. They killed all the men – not just
Shechem, who had raped their sister.
Just a bit of overkill! Peterson
relates it as murder and slaughter. And
that’s exactly what it was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">No one is to treat our sister as a whore! That’s how Peterson coins it. Though it’s raw with emotion, those words are
true to the blind rage that the brothers went into.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s a troubling passage. It’s a key to understanding the laws in the Old
Testament that speak of an eye for an eye.
Those laws were meant to keep this kind of wide scale retribution in
check.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s no wonder that Jacob feared the retaliation of the
people upon his family. But more
troubling still is that it did not cross Jacob’s mind to be fearful of what the
Lord might do because His holy name had been defiled. This heinous act did much more than soil the
name of Jacob!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-32265156289427016032015-01-22T19:29:00.005-06:002015-01-22T19:29:53.432-06:00Misusing the Lord's Name. Genesis 34:13-24<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jacob’s sons take the Lord’s name in vain. They misuse the sign of the covenant –
circumcision – to make the men of Shechem vulnerable. Bad news, indeed! Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">J</span><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">acob’s
sons</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="color: red;">answered</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem and
his father</span> <span style="color: red;">with <b>cunning</b>. <u>Their sister,
after all, had been raped</u>.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">They said,</span> <span style="color: red;">“This is impossible. We could never </span><span style="color: #00b050;">give our sister to a man who</span> <span style="color: red;">was
uncircumcised. Why, we’d be
disgraced. The</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">only condition</span> <span style="color: red;">on which we
can talk business is if</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">all your</span> <span style="color: red;">men</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">become</span> <span style="color: red;">circumcised</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">like us.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Then we will</span>
<span style="color: red;">freely exchange</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">daughters</span>
<span style="color: red;">in marriage and make ourselves at home among you </span><span style="color: #00b050;">and become one</span> <span style="color: red;">big, happy
family.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">But
if</span> <span style="color: red;">this is not an acceptable condition,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">we will take our sister and</span> <span style="color: red;">leave.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> That seemed fair enough</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Hamor and his son Shechem.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">The
young man was</span> <span style="color: red;">so smitten</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with Jacob’s daughter</span> <span style="color: red;">that
he proceeded to do what had been asked.
He was also the most admired son in his father’s family.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">So
Hamor and his son Shechem went to the</span> <span style="color: red;">public
square and spoke to the town council:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“These
men</span> <span style="color: red;">like us; they are our friends.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Let them</span> <span style="color: red;">settle down here and make themselves at home; there’s</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">plenty of room</span> <span style="color: red;">in the country</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">for them.</span>
<span style="color: red;">And, just think, we can even exchange our </span><span style="color: #00b050;">daughters</span> <span style="color: red;">in marriage.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">But</span> <span style="color: red;">these</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">men will</span> <span style="color: red;">only accept our invitation</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to
live with us</span> <span style="color: red;">and become one big family </span><span style="color: #00b050;">on</span> <span style="color: red;">one</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">condition, that all our males</span> <span style="color: red;">become</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">circumcised</span> <span style="color: red;">just</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">as they themselves
are</span>. <span style="color: red;">This
is a very good deal for us – these people are very wealthy with great herds of</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">livestock</span> <span style="color: red;">and we’re
going to get our hands on it.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">So let’s</span> <span style="color: red;">do what they ask
and have them</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">settle</span> <span style="color: red;">down with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">us.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">Everyone
who was anyone in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the city agreed with Hamor
and his son, Shechem; every male was circumcised.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 34:13-24)<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Because their sister Dinah had been defiled,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob's sons</span> <span style="color: red;">replied
<b>deceitfully</b> as they spoke to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem and his father</span> <span style="color: red;">Hamor.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">They said</span> <span style="color: red;">to them, "We can't do such a thing; we can't</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">give our sister to a man who</span> <span style="color: red;">is not circumcised. That would be a disgrace to us. We will give our consent to you on one </span><span style="color: #00b050;">condition only:</span> <span style="color: red;">that you</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">become like us</span> <span style="color: red;">by
circumcising</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">all your</span> <span style="color: red;">males.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Then we will</span> <span style="color: red;">give you our</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">daughters</span> <span style="color: red;">and take
your daughters for ourselves. We'll settle among you</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and become one</span> <span style="color: red;">people with
you.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">But
if</span> <span style="color: red;">you will not agree to be circumcised,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">we'll take our sister and</span> <span style="color: red;">go." <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Their proposal seemed good</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Hamor and his son Shechem.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">The young man,</span>
<span style="color: red;">who</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">was</span> <span style="color: red;">the most honored of all his father's household, lost no time
in doing what they said, because he was delighted</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with Jacob's daughter.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">So Hamor and his
son Shechem went to the</span> <span style="color: red;">gate of their city to
speak to their fellow townsmen.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"These men</span> <span style="color: red;">are
friendly toward us," they said.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"Let
them</span> <span style="color: red;">live in our land and trade in it; the land
has</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">plenty of room for them.</span> <span style="color: red;">We can marry their</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">daughters</span>
<span style="color: red;">and they can marry ours.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">But</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">men will</span> <span style="color: red;">consent </span><span style="color: #00b050;">to live with us</span>
<span style="color: red;">as one people only</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">on</span>
<span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">condition that
our males</span> <span style="color: red;">be</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">circumcised,
as they themselves are.</span> <span style="color: red;">Won't their</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">livestock,</span>
<span style="color: red;">their property and all their other animals become ours?</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">So let us</span> <span style="color: red;">give our
consent to them, and they will</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">settle </span><span style="color: red;">among</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">us."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">All the men who went out of</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">the city</span> <span style="color: red;">gate</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem,</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">every male</span> <span style="color: red;">in the city</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">was
circumcised.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 34:13-24)<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Like father like sons!
They replied deceitfully. Jacob’s
sons have taken after their father. They
didn’t fall far from the tree, it seems.
That’s something that Peterson missed when he translated the word “cunning”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It was a knee-jerk reaction. So they were themselves at their worst. They used the covenant sign of the Lord to
make the strong vulnerable. It’s disgusting!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And Jacob’s sons were not alone. Hamor and Shechem thought they were going to
rob Jacob’s family blind. Hamor and Shechem
did not comprehend their own vulnerability.
That will prove disastrous for them as we will see tomorrow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-17124293877136771932015-01-22T19:28:00.002-06:002015-01-22T19:28:53.696-06:00Calm Before the Storm. Genesis 34:1-12<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jacob fell silent.
He was distraught about what had happened to his daughter Dinah. Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message:<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <i><span style="color: red;">One day</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Dinah, the daughter Leah had</span> <span style="color: red;">given</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob, went to visit</span>
<span style="color: red;">some of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the women</span>
<span style="color: red;">in that country.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem,</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">son of Hamor the Hivite</span> <span style="color: red;">who was chieftain there,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">saw
her and</span> <span style="color: red;">raped her. Then he felt a strong attraction</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Dinah,</span> <span style="color: red;">Jacob’s
daughter, fell in love with her, and wooed over</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">her. Shechem</span> <span style="color: red;">went </span><span style="color: #00b050;">to his father Hamor, “Get me this girl</span> <span style="color: red;">for</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my wife.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob
heard that</span> <span style="color: red;">Shechem had raped</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his daughter Dinah,</span> <span style="color: red;">but </span><span style="color: #00b050;">his sons were</span> <span style="color: red;">out</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in the fields with</span> <span style="color: red;">the </span><span style="color: #00b050;">livestock so he</span> <span style="color: red;">didn’t say
anything</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">until they</span> <span style="color: red;">got</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">home.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Hamor, Shechem’s
father, went</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">to work out marriage arrangements. Meanwhile</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob’s
sons</span> <span style="color: red;">on their way back</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">from the fields</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">heard
what had happened.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">They were</span> <span style="color: red;">outraged,
explosive with anger. </span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem</span><span style="color: red;">’s rape of </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob’s daughter</span> <span style="color: red;">was
intolerable </span><span style="color: #00b050;">in Israel</span><span style="color: red;"> and not to be put up with.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Hamor</span>
<span style="color: red;">spoke with Jacob and his sons, </span><span style="color: #00b050;">“My son Shechem</span> <span style="color: red;">is head
over heels in love with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">your daughter – give
her to him as his wife. Intermarry with
us. Give your daughters</span> <span style="color: red;">to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">us</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and</span> <span style="color: red;">we’ll give</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">our daughters</span> <span style="color: red;">to you. Live together with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">us </span><span style="color: red;">as one family.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Settle</span> <span style="color: red;">down</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">among us</span> <span style="color: red;">and make yourselves at home.
Prosper among us.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem
then</span> <span style="color: red;">spoke for himself, “Please, say yes. </span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I’ll</span> <span style="color: red;">pay anything. Set the
bridal price as high as you will – the sky’s the limit!</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Only give me this
girl for my wife.”</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> (Genesis 34:1-12)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Now</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Dinah, the daughter Leah had</span>
<span style="color: red;">borne to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob, went</span>
<span style="color: red;">out</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to visit the
women</span> <span style="color: red;">of the land. When</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem
son of Hamor the Hivite, </span><span style="color: red;">the ruler of that area,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">saw her,</span> <span style="color: red;">he took her</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">and</span> <span style="color: red;">violated
her. His heart was drawn</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Dinah</span> <span style="color: red;">daughter of Jacob,
and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">her.</span> <span style="color: red;">And</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem</span> <span style="color: red;">said</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to his father Hamor, "Get me this girl</span> <span style="color: red;">as</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my wife."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">When</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob heard that his
daughter Dinah</span> <span style="color: red;">had been defiled,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his sons were in the fields with</span> <span style="color: red;">his</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">livestock;</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">so he</span> <span style="color: red;">kept quiet about it</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">until they</span> <span style="color: red;">came</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">home.</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Then</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem's father Hamor went</span>
<span style="color: red;">out</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to</span> <span style="color: red;">talk with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob.</span> <span style="color: red;">Now</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob's sons</span> <u><span style="color: red;">had come
in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">from the fields</span></u> <b><span style="color: red;">as soon as they</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">heard what had happened</span></b><span style="color: #00b050;">.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">They were</span> <span style="color: red;">filled with grief and fury, because</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem</span> <span style="color: red;">had done a
disgraceful thing</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in Israel</span> <span style="color: red;">by lying with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob's
daughter –</span> <span style="color: red;">a thing that should not be done. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">But</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Hamor</span> <span style="color: red;">said to them,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"My son
Shechem</span> <span style="color: red;">has his heart set on</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">your</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">daughter.</span> <span style="color: red;">Please</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">give her to him as
his wife.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Intermarry with us; give</span> <span style="color: red;">us</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">your daughters</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and</span>
<span style="color: red;">take </span><span style="color: #00b050;">our daughters</span>
<span style="color: red;">for yourselves. You
can</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">settle among</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">us;</span> <span style="color: red;">the land is open to
you. Live in it, trade in it, and acquire property in it."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Then Shechem</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">said
to Dinah's father and brothers, "Let me find favor in your eyes, and</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">I will</span> <span style="color: red;">give you
whatever you ask. Make</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the price</span> <span style="color: red;">for</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the bride</span> <span style="color: red;">and the gift I
am to bring as great as you like, and I'll pay whatever you ask me.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Only give me the girl as my wife."</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> (Genesis 34:1-12)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The powerful take advantage of the vulnerable. That’s the essence of rape. It’s horrible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">No amount of money can replace Dinah’s innocence and purity. There’s no wonder that her father was
speechless. Sometimes, in our wrath, it’s
better not to say anything rashly.
Words, once spoken, cannot be unspoken.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">There’s no wonder Dinah’s brothers heard the news in the
fields. Bad news has always traveled
fast. It was no different for Jacob’s
family. And they came as soon as they
heard. There’s urgency in that phrase
that’s missing in Peterson’s work. I do
not like that omission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Grief and fury ruled their hearts. Outrage and explosive anger ruled their
hearts. They were about to say and do
things without much forethought. God is
not mentioned in this passage. (Where is
God when things like this happen anyways?)
God isn’t consulted. Only bad
things can come of this!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-9069455464295588862015-01-20T18:56:00.002-06:002015-01-20T18:56:53.406-06:00Hard for a Leopard to Change Its Spots. Genesis 33:12-20<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Sometimes, it’s easier to give than to receive. Jacob had to plead with his brother Esau to
take the gift offered to him. But when
Esau offers a gift to Jacob, Jacob flatly refuses. It’s part of Jacob’s relational make-up. I say that because it involves a true and
trusting relationship with his brother – something he’s apparently not ready
for. Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Then Esau said, “Let’s</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">start out</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">on our way; I’ll</span>
<u><span style="color: red;">take the lead</span></u><span style="color: red;">.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">But
Jacob said, “My</span> <span style="color: red;">master can see</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">that the children are</span> <span style="color: red;">frail. And the flocks and herds</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">are nursing,</span> <span style="color: red;">making for
slow going. </span><span style="color: #00b050;">If</span> <span style="color: red;">I push them too hard,
even for a</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">day,</span> <span style="color: red;">I’d lose them</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">all.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">So,</span> <span style="color: red;">master, you</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">go on ahead of</span>
<span style="color: red;">your</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">servant,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">while I</span> <span style="color: red;">take it easy</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">at the pace of</span> <span style="color: red;">my
flocks</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and children.</span> <u><span style="color: red;">I’ll catch up with
you</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in Seir</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau
said, “Let me</span> <span style="color: red;">at least lend you</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">some of my men.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">“There’s no
need,”</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">said. “Your generous welcome is all I need or
want.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">So Esau</span>
<span style="color: red;">set out</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">that day</span>
<span style="color: red;">and made</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">way back to Seir.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">And</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">left for</span> <b><span style="color: #00b050;">Succoth</span></b><span style="color: #00b050;">. He built a</span>
<span style="color: red;">shelter</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">for himself
and</span> <span style="color: red;">sheds</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">for
his livestock.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">That’s</span> <span style="color: red;">how</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the place</span> <span style="color: red;">came to be</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">called Succoth </span><span style="color: red;">(Sheds).</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">And that’s
how it happened that</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob arrived</span> <span style="color: red;">all in one piece in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem
in</span> <span style="color: red;">the land of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Canaan
–</span> <span style="color: red;">all the way </span><span style="color: #00b050;">from
Paddan Aram.</span><span style="color: red;">
He</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">camped</span> <span style="color: red;">near</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the city.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He bought</span> <span style="color: red;">the land</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">where he pitched
his tent</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">from the sons of Hamor, the father
of Shechem.</span> <span style="color: red;">He paid</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">a hundred silver</span>
<span style="color: red;">coins for it.
Then</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">built</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">an altar there and</span>
<span style="color: red;">named</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">it
El-Elohe-Israel</span> <span style="color: red;">(Mighty Is the God of Israel).</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
(Genesis 33:12-20)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Then Esau said, "Let us</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">be</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">on our way; I'll</span>
<u><span style="color: red;">accompany you</span></u><span style="color: red;">."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">But Jacob said</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">to
him,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"My</span> <span style="color: red;">lord knows</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">that the children are</span>
<span style="color: red;">tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that </span><span style="color: #00b050;">are nursing</span> <span style="color: red;">their young.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">If</span> <span style="color: red;">they are driven
hard just one </span><span style="color: #00b050;">day, all</span> <span style="color: red;">the animals will die.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">So</span> <span style="color: red;">let my
lord</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">go on ahead of</span> <span style="color: red;">his</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">servant,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">while I</span> <span style="color: red;">move along slowly</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">at the pace of</span> <span style="color: red;">the
droves before me</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and</span> <span style="color: red;">that of the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">children,</span>
<u><span style="color: red;">until I come to my lord</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in Seir</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Esau said,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">"Then</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">let me</span> <span style="color: red;">leave</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">some of my men</span> <span style="color: red;">with
you." <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">"But why do that?"</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">asked. "Just
let me find favor in the eyes of my lord."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">So that day Esau</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">started
on</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his way back to Seir.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob,</span> <b><span style="color: red;">however</span></b><span style="color: red;">, went to</span> <b><span style="color: #00b050;">Succoth</span></b><span style="color: #00b050;">,</span> <span style="color: red;">where</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he built a</span> <span style="color: red;">place</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">for himself and </span><span style="color: red;">made shelters</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">for his
livestock.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">That is</span> <span style="color: red;">why</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the place</span> <span style="color: red;">is</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">called Succoth.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">After </span></i><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Jacob</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">came </span><span style="color: #00b050;">from Paddan Aram,</span> <span style="color: red;">he</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">arrived</span> <span style="color: red;">safely at
the city of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Shechem in Canaan</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">camped</span> <span style="color: red;">within sight of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the city.</span> <span style="color: red;">For</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">a hundred</span> <span style="color: red;">pieces of</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">silver,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he
bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, </span><span style="color: red;">the plot of ground</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">where
he pitched his tent.</span> <span style="color: red;">There</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he</span> <span style="color: red;">set up</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">an altar and</span>
<span style="color: red;">called</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">it El Elohe
Israel.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> (Genesis 33:12-20)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">How did Esau couch his offer to Jacob? Peterson suggests that Esau wanted to
lead. The NIV speaks of Esau accompanying
Jacob. Which is closer to the
truth? Various translations go with one
or the other. There’s no consistent
voice. Perhaps the tension should be
there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s a little of both.
But the call to fellowship and the offer of protection is clear. And Jacob refuses both offers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">True to his name, Jacob lies. Jacob deceives Esau again. Though Jacob tells Esau that he will follow
him to Seir, Jacob settles instead outside of Shechem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It seems little has changed in Jacob. Maybe that’s why he isn’t referred to as
Israel in this passage. He’s still doing
Jacob-like things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And his sons are watching… and learning. Soon they would grow into great deceivers in
their own rite. But that’s a series of
stories for the following days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-13154578876835611662015-01-19T08:45:00.005-06:002015-01-19T08:45:49.900-06:00The Open Embrace of Fellowship. Genesis 33:1-11<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The fated reunion of Jacob and Esau is finally upon
us. Would it be the closed fist of
vengeance or the open hand of fellowship?
Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Jacob looked up and</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">saw</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau coming with his
four hundred men. He divided the
children</span> <span style="color: red;">between</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Leah
and Rachel and the two maidservants. He
put the maidservants out in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and
Joseph</span> <span style="color: red;">last.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He</span> <span style="color: red;">led the way and,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">as he
approached his brother, bowed seven times,</span> <span style="color: red;">honoring
his brother.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">But Esau ran</span> <span style="color: red;">up</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and embraced him,</span> <span style="color: red;">held him
tight</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and kissed him. And they</span> <span style="color: red;">both</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">wept.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Then
Esau looked</span> <span style="color: red;">around</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and saw the women and children:</span> <span style="color: red;">“And</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">who are these with
you?”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span>
<span style="color: red;">said,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“The children</span>
<span style="color: red;">that</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">God</span> <span style="color: red;">saw fit to bless me with.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Then the
maidservants</span> <span style="color: red;">came up with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">their children and bowed;</span> <span style="color: red;">then</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Leah and her children,</span> <span style="color: red;">also bowing; and finally,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph
and Rachel</span> <span style="color: red;">came up</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and bowed</span> <span style="color: red;">to Esau.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau</span>
<span style="color: red;">then</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">asked,</span> <span style="color: red;">“And</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">what</span> <span style="color: red;">was the meaning of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">all</span>
<span style="color: red;">those herds that</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I
met?”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">“I was
hoping that they would pave the way for</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my</span>
<span style="color: red;">master to welcome me.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau
said,</span> <span style="color: red;">“Oh,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">brother. I have plenty</span> <span style="color: red;">of
everything –</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">keep what</span> <span style="color: red;">is yours</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">for yourself.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob
said, “Please.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">If</span> <span style="color: red;">you can find it in your
heart to welcome me,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">accept</span> <span style="color: red;">these gifts. <u>When I
saw</u></span><u> <span style="color: #00b050;">your face,</span> <span style="color: red;">it was </span><span style="color: #00b050;">the face of God</span>
<span style="color: red;">smiling on me</span></u><span style="color: red;">.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Accept the</span>
<span style="color: red;">gifts I have</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">brought</span>
<span style="color: red;">for</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">God has been</span>
<b><span style="color: red;">good</span> </b><span style="color: #00b050;">to me and I have</span> <span style="color: red;">more than
enough.”</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span>
<span style="color: red;">urged the gifts on him and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau accepted.</span> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> (Genesis
33:1-11) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Jacob looked up and</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">there
was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau, coming with his four hundred men;</span>
<span style="color: red;">so</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he divided the
children</span> <span style="color: red;">among</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Leah,
Rachel and the two maidservants. He put
the maidservants</span> <span style="color: red;">and their children</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and
Joseph </span><span style="color: red;">in the rear.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He</span> <span style="color: red;">himself went on ahead</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and
bowed</span> <span style="color: red;">down to the ground</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">seven times as he approached his brother. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">But Esau ran</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">to
meet Jacob</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and embraced him;</span> <span style="color: red;">he threw his arms around his neck</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and kissed him. And they wept.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Then Esau looked</span>
<span style="color: red;">up</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and saw the women
and children. "Who are these with you?"</span> <span style="color: red;">he asked.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Jacob</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">answered, "They are</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the children God</span> <span style="color: red;">has <b>graciously</b> given <b><u>your servant</u></b>."</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Then the maidservants</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">and</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">their children</span> <span style="color: red;">approached
</span><span style="color: #00b050;">and bowed</span> <span style="color: red;">down. Next,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Leah
and her children</span> <span style="color: red;">came and bowed down. Last of
all came</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Joseph and Rachel,</span> <span style="color: red;">and they too</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">bowed</span> <span style="color: red;">down.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Esau asked, "What</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">do you
mean by</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">all</span> <span style="color: red;">these
droves</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I met?"</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">"To find favor in your eyes,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">my</span> <span style="color: red;">lord," he said.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">But</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau said, "I</span> <span style="color: red;">already</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">have plenty,</span>
<span style="color: red;">my</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">brother. Keep
what</span> <span style="color: red;">you have</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">for
yourself."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">"No,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">please!" said Jacob.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">"If</span> <span style="color: red;">I have
found favor in your eyes,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">accept</span> <span style="color: red;">this gift from me. <u>For to see</u></span><u> <span style="color: #00b050;">your face</span> <span style="color: red;">is like seeing </span><span style="color: #00b050;">the face of God,</span> <span style="color: red;">now that
you have received me favorably</span></u><span style="color: red;">. Please</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">accept
the</span> <span style="color: red;">present that was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">brought</span> <span style="color: red;">to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you,</span> <span style="color: red;">for</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">God has been</span> <b><span style="color: red;">gracious</span></b> <span style="color: #00b050;">to me and I
have</span> <span style="color: red;">all I need." And because</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">insisted,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau accepted</span> <span style="color: red;">it.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> (Genesis 33:1-11)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Let’s talk about the grace of God… God’s unmerited favor
for us. Jacob knew this grace. Why did Peterson ignore this aspect of this
passage? To me, there’s a world of
difference between children graciously given and God “seeing fit to bless me
with”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And, don’t get me wrong, God is most definitely good. But good pales in comparison to the
graciousness of the Lord, shown in His provision for Jacob… and for us. Bring back the acknowledgement of grace!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Knowing our blessings are graces directly from God puts
things in perspective. With this
perspective, we have the potential for true humility. We have the potential to humbly serve our
brothers and sisters in Christ. We can
say, “I am your servant” without reservation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And I wonder what was going through Jacob’s mind as Esau
ran to meet him. Was this his last
moments? NO! It was prelude to a warm embrace. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">That’s the face of God – when our most bitter
enemies welcome us warmly. Indeed, that’s
God’s face smiling down upon us. There’s
no better healing warmth than that!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-36959327733258610962015-01-18T09:01:00.000-06:002015-01-18T09:01:10.772-06:00From W.W.F. to W.P.F. Genesis 32:21-32<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Never give up.
Though you may fall and fail along the way, never give up chasing the
blessing that the Lord has for you.
Jacob had this attitude. Read
from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">So</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">his</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">gifts went</span> <span style="color: red;">before</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">him</span> <span style="color: red;">while he settled
down for </span><span style="color: #00b050;">the night in the camp.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But during the</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">night</span>
<span style="color: red;">he</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">got up and took
his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven</span> <span style="color: red;">children</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and crossed the
ford of the Jabbok. </span> <span style="color: red;">He got them safely across the brook along with</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">all his possessions.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">But</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">stayed behind by
himself,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and a man wrestled with him until
daybreak. When the man saw that he
couldn’t </span><span style="color: red;">get the best of Jacob as they wrestled,
he deliberately threw Jacob’s hip out of joint.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">The man
said, “Let me go; it’s daybreak.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span>
<span style="color: red;">said,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“<u>I</u></span><u><span style="color: red;">’m</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">not</span> <span style="color: red;">letting</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you go</span> <span style="color: red;">‘til</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you bless me</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">The man</span>
<span style="color: red;">said,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“What’s your
name?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> He answered,
“Jacob.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> The man said, </span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“But no longer.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
<span style="color: #00b050;">Your name</span> <span style="color: red;">is</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">no longer Jacob.</span> <span style="color: red;">From now on it’s</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Israel</span> <span style="color: red;">(God-Wrestler);</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">you’ve </span><span style="color: red;">wrestled</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">with God and</span> <span style="color: red;">you’ve <u>come
through</u>.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob </span><span style="color: red;">asked, “And what’s</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">your
name?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: red;">The man
said,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“Why do you</span> <span style="color: red;">want to know</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my name?”</span> <span style="color: red;">And</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">then,</span> <span style="color: red;">right then and</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">there,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he
blessed him.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span>
<span style="color: red;">named</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the place
Peniel</span> <span style="color: red;">(God’s Face)</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">because,</span> <span style="color: red;">he said,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“I saw God face-to-face and</span> <span style="color: red;">lived to tell the story!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <span style="color: #00b050;">The sun</span>
<span style="color: red;">came up</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">as he</span>
<span style="color: red;">left </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Peniel, limping
because of his hip.</span> <span style="color: red;">(This is why</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Israelites to
this day don’t eat the hip</span> <span style="color: red;">muscle;</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">because Jacob’s hip</span> <span style="color: red;">was
thrown out of joint.)</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> (Genesis 32:21-32)</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">So </span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Jacob's</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">gifts
went</span> <span style="color: red;">on ahead of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him,</span>
<span style="color: red;">but he himself spent</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the
night in the camp.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">That</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">night</span> <span style="color: red;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">got up and took his
two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven</span> <span style="color: red;">sons</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.</span> <span style="color: red;">After he had sent
them across the stream, he sent over</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">all his
possessions.</span> <span style="color: red;">So</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">was left alone,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and a man
wrestled with him </span><span style="color: red;">till</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">daybreak. When the
man saw that he could not</span> <span style="color: red;">overpower him, he
touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled
with the man. Then</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the man said, "Let me go,</span> <span style="color: red;">for</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">it is daybreak."</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">But</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">replied,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"<u>I</u></span><u>
<span style="color: red;">will</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">not</span> <span style="color: red;">let</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you go</span> <span style="color: red;">unless</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you bless me</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">The man</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">asked him,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"What is your name?" <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">"Jacob," he answered.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Then</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">the man said,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"Your name</span> <span style="color: red;">will</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">no longer</span> <span style="color: red;">be</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob,</span> <span style="color: red;">but</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Israel,</span> <span style="color: red;">because</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you have</span> <span style="color: red;">struggled</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with God</span> <b><span style="color: red;">and with men</span></b> <span style="color: #00b050;">and</span>
<span style="color: red;">have <u>overcome</u>."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Jacob </span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">said, "Please tell me</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">your name."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">But he replied,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">"Why
do you</span> <span style="color: red;">ask</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my
name?"</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Then</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he blessed him</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">there.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">So</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">called</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the place Peniel,</span>
<span style="color: red;">saying, "It is</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">because
I saw God face to face, and</span> <span style="color: red;">yet my life was
spared."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;">The sun</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">rose above him</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">as he</span> <span style="color: red;">passed </span><span style="color: #00b050;">Peniel,</span> <span style="color: red;">and he was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">limping because of his hip.</span> <span style="color: red;">Therefore </span><span style="color: #00b050;">to this day</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Israelites do not eat </span><span style="color: red;">the
tendon attached to the socket of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the hip,
because</span> <span style="color: red;">the socket of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob's hip</span> <span style="color: red;">was touched
near the tendon.</span></span></i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> (Genesis 32:21-32)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Now, why did Peterson omit the fact that Jacob struggled
or wrestled with men? All of the
translations </span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">I've</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> looked at include the idea that Jacob struggled with
men. </span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">We've</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> seen this struggle with men
so far throughout Jacob’s life. Why deny
it by omitting it in this verse? I don’t
get it, and I don’t like the omission.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I also am dissatisfied with the difference between “coming
through” (Peterson) and “overcoming” (NIV).
To overcome is much stronger language than to come through. Jacob was more than surviving (what coming
through seems to indicate to me); he was thriving (what overcoming seems to
indicate to me).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jacob has overcome his weaknesses before God. Now he has a chance at a new attitude and a
new name – Israel. That’s what his name
will be. But, will he claim it with his
attitudes and actions? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jacob’s new name
is not a statement of fact as Peterson seems to make it… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Anyways, </span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">you've</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> heard of the W.W.F. (World-Wide
Wrestling Foundation). Now, </span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 15.3333320617676px;">you've</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> experienced the W.P.F. (World-Wide Praying Foundation). Will we wrestle God and ourselves for our
blessing?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-70986973169369674212015-01-17T07:53:00.001-06:002015-01-17T07:53:30.276-06:00Flattery and Bribery Will Get You... Genesis 32:9-20<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jacob puts a plan together to appease his brother Esau,
who still appears to be ready to destroy him after all these years apart. There will be flattery. There will be bribery. But, would it work? Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: red;">And</span> <u><span style="color: #00b050;">then Jacob prayed</span></u><span style="color: #00b050;">,
“God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac,</span> <b><span style="color: red; font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">who</span> <span style="color: red;">told</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">me,</span></b><span style="color: #00b050;"> ‘Go back to
your</span> <span style="color: red;">parents’ homeland </span><span style="color: #00b050;">and I’ll</span> <span style="color: red;">treat you well.’</span> <u><span style="color: #00b050;">I</span> <span style="color: red;">don’t deserve all the love and loyalty</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you’ve shown</span> <span style="color: red;">me</span></u><span style="color: red;">.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">When I</span> <span style="color: red;">left here and</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">crossed </span><span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jordan</span> <span style="color: red;">I only had the
clothes on my back, and now look at me –</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">two</span>
<span style="color: red;">camps!</span> <b><span style="color: #00b050;">Save me,</span></b>
<span style="color: red;">please, from the violence</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of my brother,</span> <span style="color: red;">my angry
brother!</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I’m
afraid he’ll come and attack</span> <span style="color: red;">us all,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">me,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the mothers</span>
<span style="color: red;">and the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">children.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">You</span> <span style="color: red;">yourself</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">said, ‘I will</span>
<span style="color: red;">treat you well;</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I’ll
make your descendants like the</span> <span style="color: red;">sands</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of the sea,</span> <span style="color: red;">far too many
to count.’”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">He</span>
<span style="color: red;">slept </span><span style="color: #00b050;">the night
there.</span> <span style="color: red;">Then
he prepared a present</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">for his brother Esau</span>
<span style="color: red;">from his possessions:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">two
hundred female goats, twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
thirty camels with their</span> <span style="color: red;">nursing</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">young, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys
and ten male donkeys. He put</span> <span style="color: red;">a servant in charge of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">each
herd</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and said, “Go ahead of me and keep</span>
<span style="color: red;">a healthy</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">space
between</span> <span style="color: red;">each herd.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> Then</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">he instructed the</span> <span style="color: red;">first
one out:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“When my brother Esau</span> <span style="color: red;">comes close</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and asks,</span>
<span style="color: red;">‘Who is your master?</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Where are you
going? Who owns these?’ –</span> <span style="color: red;">answer him like this,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">‘Your
servant Jacob. They are a gift to my</span>
<span style="color: red;">master</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau. He’s</span> <span style="color: red;">on his
way.’”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">He</span>
<span style="color: red;">gave the same instructions to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the second</span> <span style="color: red;">servant and to</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the third –</span> <span style="color: red;">to each
in turn as they set out with their herds:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“Say
‘Your servant Jacob is </span><span style="color: red;">on his way</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">behind us.’” He
thought, “I will</span> <span style="color: red;">soften </span><span style="color: #00b050;">him</span> <span style="color: red;">up</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with </span><span style="color: red;">the succession of</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">gifts.</span>
<span style="color: red;">Then when he sees me face-to-face, maybe </span><b><span style="color: #00b050;">he’ll</span> <span style="color: red;">be glad to welcome me.”</span></b></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis
32:9-20)<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><u><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Then Jacob prayed</span></u></i><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">"O</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac,</span>
<b><span style="color: red;">O <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">who</span>
<span style="color: red;">said to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">me,</span></b><span style="color: #00b050;"> 'Go back to your</span> <span style="color: red;">country
and your relatives,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and I will</span> <span style="color: red;">make you prosper,'</span> <u><span style="color: #00b050;">I</span>
<span style="color: red;">am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">you have shown</span> <b><span style="color: red;">your servant</span></b></u><b><span style="color: red;">.</span></b><span style="color: red;"> I had only
my staff </span><span style="color: #00b050;">when I crossed</span> <span style="color: red;">this</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jordan,</span> <span style="color: red;">but now I have become</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">two</span>
<span style="color: red;">groups.</span> <b><span style="color: #00b050;">Save me,</span></b>
<span style="color: red;">I pray, from the hand</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of
my brother</span> <span style="color: red;">Esau, for</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I am afraid he will come and attack me,</span> <span style="color: red;">and also</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the mothers</span>
<span style="color: red;">with their</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">children.</span> <span style="color: red;">But</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you</span> <span style="color: red;">have</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">said, 'I will</span> <span style="color: red;">surely make
you prosper and will </span><span style="color: #00b050;">make your descendants
like the</span> <span style="color: red;">sand</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">of
the sea,</span> <span style="color: red;">which cannot be counted.'"</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">He </span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">spent</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">the night there,</span> <span style="color: red;">and from what he had with him he selected a gift</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">for his brother Esau:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">two
hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,
thirty</span> <span style="color: red;">female</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">camels
with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten
male donkeys. He put</span> <span style="color: red;">them in the care of his servants,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">each herd</span> <span style="color: red;">by itself,</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">and said</span> <span style="color: red;">to his
servants,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"Go ahead of me, and keep</span>
<span style="color: red;">some</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">space between</span>
<span style="color: red;">the herds."</span>
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">He instructed the</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">one in the lead:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"When
my brother Esau</span> <span style="color: red;">meets you</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and asks,</span> <span style="color: red;">'To whom do you
belong, and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">where are you going, and who
owns</span> <span style="color: red;">all</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">these</span>
<span style="color: red;">animals in front of you?' then you are to say, 'They
belong to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">your servant Jacob. They are a
gift</span> <span style="color: red;">sent</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to
my </span><span style="color: red;">lord</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Esau,
and he is</span> <span style="color: red;">coming behind us.'"</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">He</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">also instructed</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the
second, the third</span> <span style="color: red;">and all the others who
followed the herds: "You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet
him. And be sure to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">say, 'Your servant Jacob is</span> <span style="color: red;">coming</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">behind us.'"</span>
<span style="color: red;">For</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he thought,
"I will</span> <span style="color: red;">pacify</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">him with</span> <span style="color: red;">these</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">gifts</span> <span style="color: red;">I am sending on
ahead; later, when I see him, perhaps</span> <b><span style="color: #00b050;">he will</span> <span style="color: red;">receive
me."</span></b></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 32:9-20)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jacob was frightened for his life and the lives of his
family. He was scared silly. And what was his first course of action? He prayed to God. He prayed to his <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> became personal to Jacob when He
spoke to Jacob at Bethel when Jacob was on his way to Paddan Aram. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jacob acknowledges the grace he’s received from the
Lord. Was this heart knowledge or only
head knowledge? The NIV records Jacob as
calling himself a servant to God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peterson
omits this designation. Is Peterson
hinting at the insincerity of Jacob’s plea to God? Does Peterson believe that Jacob is trying to
appease God with false humility? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">These are important questions to consider. And there’s no way to definitively know the
answer. So let’s give Jacob the benefit
of the doubt. In this case, I side with
the NIV translation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The heart of Jacob’s prayer is save me! You said you would prosper me… or you would
treat me well. Now is your chance! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">But Jacob’s preparations to reunite with his brother
Esau smack of flattery and bribery. He
calls Esau his master or lord. He
acknowledges that he’s Esau’s servant.
He sends a wealth of gifts to Esau. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Maybe this would help smooth over the fact that he took Esau’s
birthright and blessing. But what was
Jacob thinking that this flattery and bribery would accomplish? Peterson has Jacob dreaming of a warm
welcome, while the NIV had Jacob simply wanting to be received and not
destroyed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I think the latter is truer
to Jacob’s heart, as we will see in the coming days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now… </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-39735777298825147342015-01-16T19:39:00.002-06:002015-01-16T19:39:37.415-06:00Reconciliation Now! Genesis 32:1-8<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Yesterday, we had an unhappy parting. Would the unhappy parting be followed by an
even unhappier reunion? There was the reunion
with Esau to stew over (Pun intended – sorry!).
Have by-gone’s really become by-gone’s?
Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob went his way.
Angels of God met him. When Jacob
saw them he said,</span> <span style="color: red;">“Oh! God’s Camp!”
And </span><span style="color: #00b050;">he named</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">place Mahanaim</span> <span style="color: red;">(Campground).<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> Then</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob
sent messengers</span> <span style="color: red;">on</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">ahead to his brother Esau in the land of Seir</span> <span style="color: red;">in</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Edom.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He instructed
them:</span> <span style="color: red;">“Tell</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my
master Esau</span> <span style="color: red;">this, ‘A message from</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">your servant Jacob:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I’ve
been staying with Laban and</span> <b><span style="color: red;">couldn’t get away until</span></b> <span style="color: #00b050;">now. I’ve</span> <span style="color: red;">acquired</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">cattle and donkeys</span> <span style="color: red;">and
</span><span style="color: #00b050;">sheep;</span> <span style="color: red;">also
men and women</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">servants.</span> <span style="color: red;">I’m telling you all this,
my master, hoping for your approval.’”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">The
messengers</span> <span style="color: red;">came back</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">and </span><span style="color: #00b050;">said, “We</span> <span style="color: red;">talked</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to your brother Esau and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he’s</span>
<span style="color: red;">on his way</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to meet
you. </span><b><span style="color: red;">But</span></b><span style="color: red;"> he has</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">four hundred men with him.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span>
<span style="color: red;">was scared. Very
scared. Panicked, he</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">divided</span> <span style="color: red;">his</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">people,</span> <span style="color: red;">sheep, cattle, and</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">camels</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">into two</span>
<span style="color: red;">camps.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He thought, “If Esau comes</span> <span style="color: red;">on the first camp</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and attacks</span> <span style="color: red;">it, the other camp has a chance to get away.”</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> (Genesis 32:1-8)</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Jacob</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">also</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">went</span> <span style="color: red;">on</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">his way,</span> <span style="color: red;">and the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">angels of God met him.
When Jacob saw them, he said,</span> <span style="color: red;">"This
is the camp of God!" So</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he named </span><span style="color: red;">that </span><span style="color: #00b050;">place Mahanaim.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">Jacob sent messengers ahead</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: red;">of him</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to his brother Esau
in the land of Seir,</span> <span style="color: red;">the country of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Edom.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He instructed them:</span> <span style="color: red;">"This
is what you are to say to</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my master Esau:
'Your servant Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">says,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I have been staying with Laban</span> <span style="color: red;">and <b>have remained
there till</b></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">now.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I have</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">cattle and donkeys, sheep</span> <span style="color: red;">and
goats, men</span><span style="color: #00b050;">servants and </span><span style="color: red;">maid</span><span style="color: #00b050;">servants. </span><span style="color: red;">Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find
favor in your eyes.'"</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">When</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">the messengers</span> <span style="color: red;">returned</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Jacob,</span> <span style="color: red;">they</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">said, "We</span>
<span style="color: red;">went </span><span style="color: #00b050;">to your brother
Esau, and</span> <span style="color: red;">now</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">he
is</span> <span style="color: red;">coming</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to
meet you,</span> <b><span style="color: red;">and</span></b> <span style="color: #00b050;">four hundred men</span> <span style="color: red;">are</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">with him."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">In great fear and distress</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">divided</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">people</span> <span style="color: red;">who were with him</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">into two</span> <span style="color: red;">groups, and
the flocks and herds and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">camels</span> <span style="color: red;">as well.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">He thought, "If Esau comes and attacks</span> <span style="color: red;">one group, the group that is left may escape."</span></span></i><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;">(Genesis 32:1-8)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I have very little to take to task in the differences
between the NIV and Peterson’s work. Did
Jacob simply remain with Laban for twenty years (NIV)? Or was he unable to come home before then (Peterson)? There is truth in both statements, but
neither of the statements are the whole truth.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It seems to be the nature of Jacob… the deceiver. For this reason, I think Jacob would likely
stick to the more generic statement in the NIV.
Anything more might stir up old memories and animosities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And then there’s the positive conjunction “and” in the
NIV when speaking of the posse of four hundred men accompanying Esau as opposed
to the negative conjunction “but” in Peterson’s work. In this case, I like Peterson’s choice
better. It better reflects the mood of
the Scripture passage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Aside from all this, there is an important lesson to
learn here. Fear causes division. Ignoring old wounds and allowing them to
fester cause division. The hard work of
reconciliation must be done as soon as possible – though it is dangerous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Waiting only increases the magnitude of loss when the reconciliation
is attempted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191445713309104775.post-63412577383058788042015-01-16T19:38:00.003-06:002015-01-16T19:38:47.930-06:00Escaping Estrangements. Genesis 31:43-55<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May the mumbling commence!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Estrangements are never easy. That’s what happens between Jacob’s growing
family and Laban’s family. It makes for
uneasy peace. Read from Peterson’s <i>The Message:<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Laban</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">defended himself:</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">“The</span> <span style="color: red;">daughters</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">are my daughters, the children are my children, the</span>
<span style="color: red;">flock is</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my</span> <span style="color: red;">flock – everything</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you see
is mine.</span> <span style="color: red;">But</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">what can I do</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">about</span>
<span style="color: red;">my</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">daughters</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">or</span> <span style="color: red;">for</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the children they’ve</span> <span style="color: red;">had? So</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">let’s</span>
<span style="color: red;">settle things between us,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">make a covenant –</span> <b><span style="color: red;">God will be</span></b><span style="color: red;">
the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">witness between us.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Jacob took a stone and set it up</span></i><i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">right</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">as a pillar.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Jacob called his family around, “Get</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">stones!”</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">They</span> <span style="color: red;">gathered </span><span style="color: #00b050;">stones and </span><span style="color: red;">heaped them up and then</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">ate
there</span> <span style="color: red;">beside the pile of stones.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Laban </span><span style="color: red;">named </span><span style="color: #00b050;">it</span> <u><span style="color: red;">in Aramaic,</span> <span style="color: red;">Yegar-</span><span style="color: #00b050;">sahadutha</span><span style="color: red;"> (Witness
Monument)</span></u><span style="color: red;">;</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span>
<u><span style="color: red;">echoed the naming</span> <span style="color: red;">in</span>
<span style="color: red;">Hebrew</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Galeed</span>
<span style="color: red;">(Witness Monument)</span></u><span style="color: red;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Laban said, “This</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">monument of stones will be</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">a witness,</span> <span style="color: red;">beginning
now,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">between you and me.”</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">(That’s why it</span>
<span style="color: red;">is </span><span style="color: #00b050;">called Galeed –</span>
<span style="color: red;">Witness Monument.)</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">It</span> <span style="color: red;">is</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">also called Mizpah</span>
<span style="color: red;">(Watchtower)</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">because
</span><b><span style="color: red;">Laban</span></b>
<span style="color: #00b050;">said,</span> <b><span style="color: red;">“<u><span style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span></u></span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">keep watch between you and me when we are</span> <span style="color: red;">out of each other’s sight.</span></b> <span style="color: #00b050;">If you mistreat
my daughters or take </span><span style="color: red;">other</span><span style="color: #00b050;"> wives</span> <span style="color: red;">when there’s no one
around to see, God will see you and stand witness between us.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Laban</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">continued</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Jacob,</span> <span style="color: red;">“This monument
of stones and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">this</span> <span style="color: red;">stone</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">pillar</span> <span style="color: red;">that</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I have set up </span><span style="color: red;">is a witness, a witness</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">that
I won’t</span> <span style="color: red;">cross this line to hurt you and you won’t
cross this line to hurt me.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor (the God of their</span>
<span style="color: red;">ancestor) will keep things straight</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">between us.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Jacob</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">promised, swearing by</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the Fear,</span> <span style="color: red;">the God</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">of his father Isaac.</span> <span style="color: red;">Then Jacob</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">offered a sacrifice</span> <span style="color: red;">on the
mountain and worshiped, calling in all his family members </span><span style="color: #00b050;">to</span> <span style="color: red;">the</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">meal.</span> <span style="color: red;">They ate and slept that night on the mountain.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Laban</span> <span style="color: red;">got up early the next morning,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">kissed his grandchildren and his daughters, blessed them,</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">then</span> <span style="color: red;">set off for</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">home.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis
31:43-55) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Laban</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">answered Jacob,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">"The</span>
<span style="color: red;">women</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">are my
daughters, the children are my children, and the</span> <span style="color: red;">flocks are</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">my</span> <span style="color: red;">flocks. All</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you see is
mine.</span> <span style="color: red;">Yet</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">what
can I do</span> <span style="color: red;">today</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">about
</span><span style="color: red;">these</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">daughters
</span><span style="color: red;">of mine,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">or</span>
<span style="color: red;">about</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the children
they have</span> <span style="color: red;">borne?
Come now,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">let's make a covenant,</span>
<span style="color: red;">you and I, and <b>let
it</b> serve as a</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">witness between us."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">So</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.</span> <span style="color: red;">He said to his
relatives, "Gather some</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">stones."</span>
<span style="color: red;">So</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">they</span> <span style="color: red;">took</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">stones and</span> <span style="color: red;">piled them in a heap,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and</span>
<span style="color: red;">they</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">ate there</span>
<span style="color: red;">by the heap.</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">Laban</span> <span style="color: red;">called
it Jegar Sahadutha, and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">called</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">it Galeed.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Laban said, "This</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">heap is</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">a
witness</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">between you and me</span> <span style="color: red;">today."</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">That is why
it</span> <span style="color: red;">was</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">called
Galeed.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">It</span>
<span style="color: red;">was </span><span style="color: #00b050;">also called
Mizpah,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">because</span> <b><span style="color: red;">he</span></b> <span style="color: #00b050;">said,</span>
<b><span style="color: red;">"<u>May</u>
the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></span> <span style="color: #00b050;">keep watch between you and me when we are</span> <span style="color: red;">away from each other.</span></b> <span style="color: #00b050;">If you mistreat
my daughters or</span> <span style="color: red;">if you</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">take</span> <span style="color: red;">any</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">wives</span> <span style="color: red;">besides my
daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness
between you and me."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Laban</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;">also said</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">to Jacob,</span>
<span style="color: red;">"Here is this heap, and here is</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">this pillar</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">I have set
up</span> <span style="color: red;">between you and me. This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a
witness,</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">that I will not</span> <span style="color: red;">go past this heap to your side to harm you</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">and</span> <span style="color: red;">that</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">you will not</span> <span style="color: red;">go past this
heap and pillar to my side to harm me. May</span>
<span style="color: #00b050;">the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of
their</span> <span style="color: red;">father, judge</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">between us."</span> <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">So</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">Jacob</span> <span style="color: red;">took an oath in the
name of</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">the Fear of his father Isaac.</span> <span style="color: red;">He</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">offered a sacrifice</span> <span style="color: red;">there
in the hill country and invited his relatives </span><span style="color: #00b050;">to</span>
<span style="color: red;">a</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">meal.</span> <span style="color: red;">After they had eaten, they spent the night there. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Early the next morning </span></i><i><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Laban</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: #00b050;">kissed
his grandchildren and his daughters</span> <span style="color: red;">and</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">blessed them.</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">Then</span>
<span style="color: red;">he left and returned</span> <span style="color: #00b050;">home.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> (Genesis 31:43-55)<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: HE;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">So many differences!
Where to start!?! Will God be the
witness (Peterson)? Or will “it” serve
as witness… the covenant (NIV)? I don’t
know that we have to choose. Covenants are
much richer and longer lasting when done with God as witness. I side in this case with Peterson.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I also like the added depth of bringing out the two
different languages that represent the clashing cultures. Peterson is at his best in this
addition. The monument is a witness
monument for both cultures. We will not
harm one another. Not exactly an
amicable parting!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">That’s why it’s so ironic that many worship services use
this “blessing” as a blessing for parting at worship services. I would hope we might part under better terms
after worship that Jacob and Laban did!
For that reason, I like that Peterson dropped the “may” from the
beginning of the sentence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Though I
wonder if Laban said sentence or if Jacob did.
The text is unclear and very few translations credit that statement to
Laban like Peterson does. Keep the
ambiguity I say. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">May we never be estranged from one another!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough mumbling for now… </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Peace Out<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mumbling Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913151266834596892noreply@blogger.com0