Tag: Genesis 34

Jacob’s 11 Sons

Posted on by jovial_cynic

And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok.
Genesis 32:22 (NKJV)

Normally, when the Hebrew language says “men” or “sons,” the collective noun can also mean “men and women” and “sons and daughters.” But when the collective noun has a numeric descriptor (ELEVEN sons), it is specifically addressing the sons and not the daughters.
Here, the rabbis note that this text has specifically EXCLUDED Dinah.

Where is she?

It’s unclear, but one view is that Jacob has hidden her in a basket so that Esau does not see her. If we are meant to view Esau as a symbol of wickedness and lustful cravings, it would make sense that Jacob would hide his daughter from his brother.

It’s an interesting perspective. A subsequent view takes it further and suggests that this may be a nod to the horror of Genesis 34. Jacob wanted to shield her, but the thing he feared happens anyway.

Joseph’s Dreams

Posted on by jovial_cynic
Have you ever noticed that Joseph’s two dreams of Genesis 37 point us back to the story of creation? They tell us to look back at Day 3 and Day 4 of the creation accounts. The creation account is not just the past. It is the present. It is the future. As it is with all of God’s words.

Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning.
Genesis 1:11-13 (NIV)

And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.
Genesis 1:14