Genesis Part 2 - Week 13

Day 1 

READ 

Genesis 33:12-14 

¹² “Well,” Esau said, “let’s be going. I will lead the way.” ¹³ But Jacob replied, “You can see, my lord, that some of the children are very young, and the flocks and herds have their young, too. If they are driven too hard, even for one day, all the animals could die. ¹⁴ Please, my lord, go ahead of your servant. We will follow slowly, at a pace that is comfortable for the livestock and the children. I will meet you at Seir.” 

Jacob kept resisting Esau’s suggestion, which indicates Jacob did not fully trust him at this time. Jacob called Esau “lord,” which was a term of respect such as “Sir” or “Master.” Jacob promised to meet Esau “at Seir,” which is similar to Edom, Esau’s other name. Do you think Jacob was honest? The longer passage will reveal the truth. 

REFLECT 

What do you think about Jacob’s suggestion about where he would meet Esau? Do you think he was sincere in his statement? 

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 33:12-20. This reveals Jacob had no intention of meeting Esau at Seir. That would have been to the south of them; Jacob headed north to Shechem.  

Day 2 

READ 

Genesis 34:1-4 

¹ One day Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went to visit some of the young women who lived in the area. ² But when the local prince, Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, saw Dinah, he seized her and raped her. ³ But then he fell in love with her, and he tried to win her affection with tender words. ⁴ He said to his father, Hamor, “Get me this young girl. I want to marry her.” 

This begins a sad story. It is an indication the Bible is inspired by God. If uninspired men wrote it they would have left out this shameful account. Often after a rape occurs the man wants nothing more to do with the woman, but Shechem fell in love with Dinah. She was the youngest and only daughter of Jacob and Leah. Shechem wanted his father to get Dinah for him. 

REFLECT 

Other such stories also appear in the Bible. They do not have God’s approval but He allows them to happen. 

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 34:1-17. See what Dinah’s relatives proposed to Hamor and Shechem and their people in order for Shechem to have Dinah as his wife.  

Day 3 

READ 

Genesis 34:18-20 

¹⁸ Hamor and his son Shechem agreed to their proposal. ¹⁹ Shechem wasted no time in acting on this request, for he wanted Jacob’s daughter desperately. Shechem was a highly respected member of his family, ²⁰ and he went with his father, Hamor, to present this proposal to the leaders at the town gate. 

One can hardly imagine what had been proposed, but Shechem and his father agreed with their proposal. They went to present the suggestion “to the leaders at the town gate.” This was usually where business was conducted. Look for the reference to the “town gate” or “city gates” as you read the Scriptures. 

REFLECT 

The husband of the woman of Proverbs 31 was well-known at the city gates. Some wives today prefer to be in the background supporting their husbands in prayer as their husbands serve in the spotlight.  

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 34:18-31. This tells which sons of Jacob took advantage of the situation and killed all the males. Afterwards notice the other carnage that took place and what Jacob’s response was to it.  

Day 4 

READ 

Genesis 35:1-3 

¹ Then God said to Jacob, “Get ready and move to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother, Esau.” ² So Jacob told everyone in his household, “Get rid of all your pagan idols, purify yourselves, and put on clean clothing. ³ We are now going to Bethel, where I will build an altar to the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.” 

It had been several years since Jacob had been at Bethel when he was fleeing from his twin brother, Esau. Preparation to return to that special place demanded those in his household get rid of everything associated with other gods. Jacob knew that Jehovah would allow no rivals. Jacob remembered that he had built an altar at Bethel and God had answered his prayers.  

REFLECT 

If you have experienced a time of being out of fellowship with God, do you remember the time when you confessed your sin and returned to fellowship with Him? 1 John 1:9 was the basis for your returning to fellowship with the heavenly Father. 

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 35:1-15. Here God tells Jacob that he would no longer be known as “Jacob” but as “Israel.” Because God had spoken to him there, Jacob called the place “Bethel” meaning the “house of God.” In Hebrew the word “beth” refers to “house” and “El” refers to “God.”  

Day 5 

READ 

Genesis 35:16-17 

¹⁶ Leaving Bethel, Jacob and his clan moved on toward Ephrath. But Rachel went into labor while they were still some distance away. Her labor pains were intense. ¹⁷ After a very hard delivery, the midwife finally exclaimed, “Don’t be afraid—you have another son!” 

Of the women who bore him children—Leah and her servant Zilpah, Rachel and her servant Bilhah—Rachel was Jacob’s favorite. Rachel had given birth to Joseph and now she is pregnant with another son. The midwife had told Rachel not to be afraid, but the following verses tell a sad story. 

REFLECT 

Jacob’s family was what now is referred to as a “blended” family. As Jacob, and sometimes others have learned, however, some blended families do not blend well. 

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 35:16-29. This passage reveals the deaths of Jacob’s wife, Rachel, and of his father, Isaac. His mother, Rebekah, had passed away some time ago. She never saw Jacob after she sent him away to avoid Esau’s anger.