INTRODUCTION • Last Time We Left You on a Cliff Hanger • Dinah Is

______GENESIS

INTRODUCTION • Last time we left you on a cliff hanger • Dinah is mentioned as the first time someone is violated which means she was made morally impure by having sexual relations without the covenant of marriage • This is the beginning of the concept of fornication • The word defile means to become unclean • To understand the concept of uncleanness, certain animals and foods were considered unclean or clean by their nature • People are made unclean through giving birth, menstruation, bodily emissions, leprosy, sexual relations, sexual immorality or contact with death... anything that touches blood or death • For instance, pigs are clean because they each dead material... they eat their own faeces, drink their own urine, they dead rotting vegetables, maggots, even the dead rotting flesh of other animals • It has nothing to do with the diseases the pigs carried... it has to do with their nature, they are unclean by nature • According to the law, an unclean person could not enter the sanctuary, could not eat of the sacrifice, had to be sent outside the camp • Thus, for Dinah to be defiled • The Canaanites were known for sexually immorality... having sexual relations with women without the covenant of marriage (fornication) • For the woman, this creates a problem because no honorable man would marry a woman who was sexually immoral and thus they were destined for a life of prostitution • It is this devaluation of women, to be used as sexual objects without the commitment or protection of a marriage covenant that the law was designed to protect... because God values women

Deuteronomy 23:17 (NKJV) 17 “There shall be no ritual harlot of the daughters of Israel, or a perverted one of the sons of Israel.

• Now Prince Shechem, after he violates Dinah, feels strongly attracted to her and wants to marry her • In vs. 3 it says “His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah”

• He had a strong emotional attachment to Dinah... what it doesn’t say is he loved Dinah because if he did he would have committed to her by making a covenant of marriage • Thus, this act by Prince Shechem is considered disgraceful, inappropriate and outrageous by the sons and cannot go unpunished • Hamor, Shechem’s father meets with Jacob and negotiates the marriage of Dinah and his son which also means their families would be united • Thus, Hamor is also negotiating a peace agreement with Jacob • We will marry each other, do business together and we will all profit • So Hamor asks... what kind of a dowry will they accept to make this transaction? • The Sons of Jacob wanting to put them in a position of weakness tells them... there is only one condition... you must be circumcised

Genesis 34:18–24 (NKJV) 18 And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19 So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. He was more honorable than all the household of his father. 20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying: 21 “These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them dwell in the land and trade in it. For indeed the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.” 24 And all who went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

• Hamor and Shechem agree and all the men are circumcised • Notice vs. 19... it says Shechem was more honorable than all the household of his father • You can have honorable unbelievers... but they are still unbelievers and believers are not to marry unbelievers

Genesis 34:25–31 (NKJV) 25 Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword

THROUGH THE BIBLE / GENESIS © 2019 Holland Davis ______GENESIS and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. 26 And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went out. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. 28 They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, 29 and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.” 31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a harlot?”

• Notice... Jacob did not support their actions • He said you’ve brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious • The word obnoxious means to stink, to offend because of your body odor • We’ve all been in situations where someone is just reeking and you don’t want to be around them because they stink so bad... that’s obnoxious • This is also where you get the saying... “smells like trouble” • Jacob is now aware that just his presence will incite people to hate him, want to kill him and destroy his household no matter where he lives • But the sons don’t care... he deserved to be punished after treating Dinah like a prostitute

Genesis 35:1–4 (NKJV) 35 Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.” 2 And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. 3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.” 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem.

• Jacob panics after his sons massacre the Schechemites and as he is crying out to the Lord... the Lord directs him to go up to Bethel • He is instructed to make an altar to God (El which is God in the singular form) • Why build an altar? For 2 reasons • First, it is a rejection of the false gods of the region to build an altar to God • Second, it is a reminder of the vow Jacob made to God in Genesis 28:20-22 (in Genesis 31:13 God reveals Himself to Jacob by saying I am the God “El” of Bethel “Beit El”) • In Genesis 28 Jacob vowed the LORD shall be my God and I will give 10% of all I have • Thus before they leave for Bethel, Jacob instructs his household to get rid of the idols, purify themselves (wash the death off them from killing the men of Shechem) and change their clothes • Vs. 4 we see the first crack in the story... they give Jacob their idols and earrings (which had pagan symbols on them) and he buried them under the terebinth tree by Shechem • Deuteronomy 7 says they were to destroy them, but Jacob buries them

Genesis 35:5–7 (NKJV) 5 And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 6 So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. 7 And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother.

• Notice vs. 5... Jacob’s fears were irrational... the terror of God was upon the neighboring cities and they were afraid of Jacob • Jacob was afraid of the neighboring cities taking revenge, but they were afraid of him • When he arrives at Luz (which he named Bethel where God first appeared to him), he does what God instructs him to do... he builds an altar and lives there

Genesis 35:8 (NKJV)

8 Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the terebinth tree. So the name of it was called Allon Bachuth.

Three deaths are recorded in this chapter • Deborah, Rachel and Isaac • Rachel we understand as the one Jacob loved • Isaac we understand as the second patriarch • But why Deborah? • Deborah was Rebekah’s nurse and as her nurse, she would have been the one to deliver Jacob and care for Jacob from the time he was born • The fact that she is with Jacob is proof that Rebekah (his mother) was dead With the death of Rebekah, Deborah’s services were no longer needed in Isaac’s home and it would be natural for Jacob to bring him into him home to care for her • I believe she is mentioned because she would have been the closest thing to a mother for Jacob and a grandmother to Jacob’s kids and thus it would have been a tremendous loss for Jacob... like loosing a parent

Genesis 35:9–15 (NKJV) 9 Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. 11 Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. 12 The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.” 13 Then God went up from him in the place where He talked with him. 14 So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it. 15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel.

• Notice... God appears to Jacob in the same place where God first appeared to Jacob... at Bethel • For Abraham the LORD appeared to him at the Terebinth Trees in Mamre • Something that I’ve discovered is the Lord is consistent with how He speaks to us throughout our lives...

• Pay attention to the times God speaks, when He speaks and how He speaks because He tends to speak to us in a consistent manner • Also notice what God says... First He affirms Jacob’s NEW identity which He first gave him in Genesis 32:28 • God doesn’t deal with you based on your old identity, He deals with you based on your new identity... because your new identity is your true identity • Second, God reaffirms what He told Abraham, Isaac and Jacob • He promises to make Jacob into a great nation, but Jacob needs to do something to receive this promise... he needs to be fruitful and multiply • What does it mean to be fruitful? It means he needs to make babies! • Third, God deeds the land He gave to Abraham and Isaac to Jacob and his descendants • Again... Jacob calls the place Bethel (House of God)

Genesis 35:16–22 (NKJV) 16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. 17 Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear; you will have this son also.” 18 And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. 21 Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. 22 And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it.

• Rachel gives birth to Jacob’s 12th son Benjamin • She dies during child birth and as she is dying she names him Ben-Oni which means son of sorrow, but Jacob names him Benjamin which means Son of The Right Hand (the one who will receive the inheritance) • Jacob buries Rachel on the road to Ephrath (which is Bethlehem) • Then Israel (Jacob’s new name) went beyond the Tower of Eder (Migdal Eder) and sets up camp • Migdal Eder is where Jesus will be born... and so you see how God works... Benjamin, the son of the Right Hand is born where Jesus, the son of God will be born

• While Israel is living in the land, Reuben (Israel’s oldest son) has sexual relations with Israel’s concubine Bilhah (which means he committed incest) • No details are given, but Bilhah is the mother of Reuben’s younger brothers... Dan and Naphtali • Bilhah is much older than Reuben and nothing is done to punish Reuben, but it does cost him his birthright as we see in Genesis 49 when Israel blesses his sons

Genesis 49:3–4 (NKJV) 3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power. 4 Unstable as water, you shall not excel, Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it—He went up to my couch.

Jacob had a total of 12 sons who would become the nation of Israel Genesis 35:22–26 (NKJV) Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: 23 the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; 24 the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; 25 the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; 26 and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant, were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram.

The meaning of names are significant and often tell story • Reuben means “Surely YHWH has looked upon my affliction” (Genesis 29:35) • Simeon means “Because YHWH has heard that I was hated” (Genesis 29:33) • Levi means “Now this time will my husband be joined to me” (Genesis 29:34) • Judah means “Now I will praise YHWH” (Genesis 29:35) • Issachar means “Elohim has given me my wages” (Genesis 30:18) • Zebulun means “Elohim has endowed me with a good gift, now my husband will dwell with me” (Genesis 30:20) • Joseph means “YHWH will add to me” (Genesis 30:24) • Benjamin means “You will have this Son, the Son of My Right Hand” (Genesis 35:17-18)

• Dan means “Judgment” • Naphtali means “With great wrestlings I have wrestled” (Genesis 30:8) • Gad means “What good fortune” (Genesis 30:11) • Asher means “Happy Am I” (Genesis 30:13)

Together the message says.... Surely YHWH has looked upon my affliction. Because YHWH has heard that I was hated. Now this time will my husband be joined to me. Now I will praise YHWH. Elohim has given me my wages. Elohim has endowed me with a good gift, now my husband will dwell with me. YHWH will add to me. You will have this Son, the Son of My Right Hand. Then Judgment. With great wrestlings I have wrestled. What good fortune (grace). Happy Am I.

Another way to look at this message... The message tells the story of God looking on man’s affliction, man’s search to be joined to God and God’s answer to man’s affliction, the birth of Jesus, the Son of the Right Hand of the Father who is Judged for the sins of the world, and with great wrestlings prevails and now through grace... happy am I.

Genesis 35:27–29 (NKJV) 27 Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. 28 Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. 29 So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

• Jacob returns home most likely at the news that his father is dying • Isaac is living at Mamre, the place where Abraham lived • While Abraham was alive, Isaac lived in Beersheba until Abraham died and then moved to Mamre • I love vs. 29... Isaac was old and full of days... he lived a good long life and died surrounded by family • Esau and Isaac bury him together... brothers united in death

Genesis 36:1–14 (NKJV)

36 Now this is the genealogy of Esau, who is Edom. 2 Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite; Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; 3 and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth. 4 Now Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel. 5 And Aholibamah bore Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan. 6 Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob. 7 For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom. 9 And this is the genealogy of Esau the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir. 10 These were the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, and Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau. 11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 Now Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife. 13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 14 These were the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon. And she bore to Esau: Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah.

• At the close of this section on Jacob, Jacob records Esau’s genealogy • Esau was the father of the Edomite nation, a mixed nation... part Egyptian, part Canaanite, part Hebrew (through Ishmael) • At the time, Esau had been married 40 years longer than Jacob and thus had a full generation of descendants more than Jacob which accounts for the long list of names • Scholars tell us Esau most likely gave this to Jacob at Isaac’s burial

Genesis 36:15–19 (NKJV) 15 These were the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn son of Esau, were Chief Teman, Chief Omar, Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz, 16 Chief Korah, Chief Gatam, and Chief Amalek. These were the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. They were the sons of Adah. 17 These were the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: Chief Nahath, Chief Zerah, Chief Shammah, and Chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 18 And these were

THROUGH THE BIBLE / GENESIS © 2019 Holland Davis ______GENESIS the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife: Chief Jeush, Chief Jaalam, and Chief Korah. These were the chiefs who descended from Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah. 19 These were the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these were their chiefs.

• This section of scripture lists the name of Esau’s sons and grandsons who had risen to prominence in the region... a total of 14 cheifs or dukes

Genesis 36:20–30 (NKJV) 20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite who inhabited the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir, in the land of Edom. 22 And the sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam. Lotan’s sister was Timna. 23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 24 These were the sons of Zibeon: both Ajah and Anah. This was the Anah who found the water in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon. 25 These were the children of Anah: Dishon and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah. 26 These were the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 27 These were the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. 28 These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 29 These were the chiefs of the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shobal, Chief Zibeon, Chief Anah, 30 Chief Dishon, Chief Ezer, and Chief Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, according to their chiefs in the land of Seir.

Genesis 36:31–39 (NKJV) 31 Now these were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel: 32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 33 And when Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. 34 When Jobab died, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 35 And when Husham died, Hadad the son of Bedad, who attacked Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place. And the name of his city was Avith. 36 When Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 37 And when Samlah died, Saul of Rehoboth-by-the-River reigned in his place. 38 When Saul died, Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place. 39 And when Baal- Hanan the son of Achbor died, Hadar reigned in his place; and the name of his city was Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

Genesis 36:40–43 (NKJV) 40 And these were the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their families and their places, by their names: Chief Timnah, Chief Alvah, Chief Jetheth, 41 Chief Aholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon, 42 Chief Kenaz, Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar, 43 Chief Magdiel, and Chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession. Esau was the father of the Edomites.

• Thus we have recorded God’s fulfillment of Isaac’s blessing that Esau would become a great nation • He would live off the fat of the land, through agriculture and livestock • He would live by the sword... if you notice the number of chiefs and verse 31 where it says these are the kings who reigned before any king reigned in Israel • This is a testimony to Esau being ruled by men and not God • He dwelled in the land of their possession, the land they took for themselves... not given by God • So we see the power of the Father’s blessing