Genesis Segment 7

The sons of Israel

 Genesis 25:20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife...[20 years later] 

21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.  

There were two techniques the adversary used early on to try to stop the Christ line, famine and infertility. 

22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.  

Rebekah went to the Lord, not man. And her subsequent actions on what is told her, keeps God’s blessing on the appropriate lineage. 

23 And the LORD said unto her, two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.  

God told her the future. 

24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.  

25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.  

26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.  

Jacob means heel catcher, hence, contender, or supplanter. 

27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a skillful hunter, a man of the field, [the world]; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.  

Plain means upright or pure or perfect. [8535 tam] Job is described in Scripture the same way. 

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect [8535] and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.  

28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.  

It’s interesting to see the reason God gives for Isaac loving Esau. Venison comes from a root word meaning to hunt. It’s put here as the FOS metonymy (of the cause); hunting put for what was caught. 

29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:  

Bad day or days hunting for venison.   

30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.  

31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.  

Great respect was paid by the household to the first-born son. The first-born male was to have headship over his brothers. He succeeded to the father’s official authority. He had a special claim to the father’s benediction. 

The birthright according to EWB included three things: 

(1) the Father’s blessing and supremacy, which in this case would go to the younger, Jacob. 

(2) a double portion (which later went to Joseph) 

I Chronicles 5:1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.  

2 For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler [Christ line]; but the birthright was Joseph's:)

(3) the Domestic Priesthood (which after going to the first-born of each family was vested in Levi for the whole nation. Numbers 3:6,12, 16:1-3. 

This birthright could be transferred to another for a consideration, or withheld by the father for cause. 

32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?  

33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.  

One ancient text, the Severus Codex, has birthright translated “ware”. Esau treated his birthright as merchandise.   

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. 

It is said in India that that type of food is so cheap and common that it represents, in proverbial speech, any thing that is worthless. We would say, “He sold his land for a song.” Meaning for far under market value, very cheaply. In India they would say, “He has sold his land for pottage,” for an insignificant consideration. 

This helps to illustrate the lowliness of Esau’s conduct, who sold his priceless birthright for a value of worthlessness. 

Genesis 26:1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.  

Abimelech is a title, an official name like king, pharaoh, Caesar. This is one of 13 famines recorded in God’s Word. 

2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt [like Abraham did and where food is plenteous because of the Nile]; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:  

3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;  

4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;  

5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.  

God gives the promise that He had earlier given to Abraham directly to Isaac. 

6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: [Nice move] 

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.  

That’s one way to beat a famine, have God increase your yield a hundred fold. 

13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:  

23 And he went up from thence to Beersheba [the well of the oath]. 

24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.  

25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there... 

28 And they said, We [unbelievers] saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee;  

34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife 2 Hittite unbelievers. 

35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.  

II Corinthians 6:14 about not being unequally yoked together with unbelievers is very true.

Genesis 27:1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, [around 137, same age as Ishmael when he died. Isaac does live another 43 years] and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.  

2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:  

3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; [hunt me some hunting]. 

4 And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.  

Make savoury meat means a dish prepared in any appetizing way, but especially by means of condiments. The Orientals are fond of highly seasoned food. Salt, spices, onions, garlic, and various aromatic herbs, such as saffron, and mint, are used as seasoning for their meats. 

5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.  

6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,  

7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death.  

8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.  

9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:  

10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.  

11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:  

12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.  

13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.  

14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.  

Look at the trusting relationship they had. Rebekah is willing to put her neck on the line for what she believes is God’s will. How Isaac missed it, we don’t know. The flesh just got in the way. Maybe he felt that this was his last shot at helping Esau be a spiritual man.

15 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:  

Rebekah chose the right garment for the occasion. All raiment in the East marks social rank and position of the wearer. The chief and eldest son wear distinctive garments. This garment of Esau denoted also his official and priestly position. 

16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:  

17 And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.  

18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?  

19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; [Some say he could say this because he had bought the birthright.] 

19b I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.  

20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me.  

Good call! Nice answer. 

21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.  

22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.  

24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.  

25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.  

This wine was the fermented and intoxicating kind. It’s interesting to note that a Nazarite, at the expiration of his vow, drank yayin, this kind of wine. Yayin was used for sacred purposes and for blessing. 

26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.  

27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed:  

Now he locks into God’s blessing.  

28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:  

29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.  

30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. [God’s timing.] 

31 And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me.  

32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.  

Esau is still claiming what he had sold. 

33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.  

34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.  

35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.  

36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?  

37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?  

38 And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.  

39 And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;  

The text reads, “thy dwelling shall be away from the fatness of the earth and away from  [supplied by FOS ellipsis] the dew of heaven from above.”  

This became very true because his descendants ended up in Edom, which is the desert.  

40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.  

Fulfilled in II Kings 8:20,22 and II Chronicles 21:8-10. 

41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.  

This was in his heart. Premeditated murder. 1st degree. Not something just flippantly thrown out.. 

42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, [Rebekah instantly goes to work] and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.  

Esau is planning on getting comfort in revenge and murder. 

43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;  

44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away;  

Turns out to be 20 years.  

45 Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?  

46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth [Esau’s wives]: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?  

Rebekah continues to work to keep the Christ line alive and pure. 

28:1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.  

Now Isaac moves in a godly direction, but you can see Rebekah’s influence. Jacob will go by himself with little or nothing. Abraham sent a servant loaded with gifts. 

2 Arise, go to Padanaram [the plain of Syria], to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.  

3 And God Almighty [El Shaddai] bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people(s);  

4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.  

Isaac showing realization that Jacob was the Christ line. 

5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.  

10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.  

11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.  

12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder [stone ramp] set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.  

13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, [Hebrew: stood beside him] and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;  

14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.  

15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.  

For I will not leave thee. This had to be extremely comforting to Jacob at this time in his life. His twin brother wanted to murder him. He is sent on a journey by himself to a foreign land with very little, to find one specific family in which to find a wife.  

He doesn’t even know if there are any daughters in this family. He has no sisters. God’s very timely with His comforting.  

16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.  

17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.  

18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.  

This stone was set up as a monument of God’s wonderful revelation to him, and of his vow. Thirty years later Jacob will repeat this solemn act in the same place [Gen. 35:14] 

Monumental stone work was not uncommon. Stonehenge? Moses built 12 pillars at Sinai as a sign of God’s covenant. Ex. 24:4.  

Joshua set up a monument of stones commemorating the passage of the Jordan. Joshua 4:3-9. He did likewise at Shechem setting a stone under an oak tree for a memorial of the covenant between God and his people. Joshua 24:26. 

Jacob’s pouring oil or anointing the pillar was designed as a solemn act of consecration of this stone to its monumental purposes. Like we christen a maiden voyage of a boat by smashing a bottle of champagne across its bow. 

Jacob’s act is not to be confused with the pagan practicing of pouring oil upon stones and worshiping them. 

19 And he called the name of that place Bethel [house of El]: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.  

20 And Jacob vowed a vow. One does not do this lightly. This is a solemn vow. 

Deuteronomy 23:21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.  

22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

Exodus 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,  

21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:  

22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Genesis 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.  

2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.  

The culture was to wait until everyone showed up before taking away the stone. Sometimes there was even a key in which to open the well. 

9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them.  

10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.  

11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.  

The traditional eastern greeting.  

12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.  

13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.  

14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.  

15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?  

16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah [weary], and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17 Leah was tender eyed [had weak or dull eyes]; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.  

18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.  

19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.  

20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.  

21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.  

22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.  

The usual duration of a marriage feast was a week. 

23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.  

24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.  

25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, [BEHOLD] it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?  

Jacob got a taste of his own medicine. Laban supplanted him. 

26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.  

27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.  

28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her [Leah’s] week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.  

29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.  

30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.  

31 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated [FOS metonymy for less loved], he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.  

Reuben means “see, or behold a son!” This was in joyful acknowledgment of this evidence of God’s goodness. 

She then has Simeon, Levi, and Judah. 

Genesis 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.  

2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?  

3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her... 

5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. Dan then Naphtali. 

9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.  

10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son. Gad, then Asher. 

17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. Issachar, then Zebulon, Dinah. 

22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.  

23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:  

24 And she called his name Joseph [may He add]; and said, The LORD shall add [is adding] to me another son.  

25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.  

26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.  

27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.  

This verse sounds good on Laban’s part. However, the word experience is the word for divination or enchantment. It is related to in Genesis 3:1, the serpent. So Laban got his information through enchantments, divination. 

Genesis 31 

Jacob leaves with his wives and sons and flocks and heads back to the promised land where 20 years earlier his brother Esau was planning to murder him. 

Genesis 31:17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; [must have had plenty for the size of his family]. 

18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.  

Genesis 32:1 And Jacob went on his way, [heading south] and the angels of God met him.  

EWB says the angels were to assure him of God’s presence with him, and of His protection. 

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

Genesis 32:22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. 

23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.  

24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man [an angel] with him until the breaking of the day.  

27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.  

28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, [supplanter, contender] but Israel: [God commands, orders or rules] for as a prince, [commander, orderer] hast thou power [contended] with God and with men, and hast prevailed, [succeeded].  

Israel is a prince who is a commander of God or an orderer of God. Thus he is favored or beloved of God. 

He was Jacob, a cunning self-helpful supplanter, expressive of his old history. Now he is favored of God as a prince of God. One who would have power with God and men, and prevail.  

Power is contended.  “Hast thou contended with God?” Jacob had contended with Esau in the womb, and thus got his name Jacob, which is referred to here in reproach, not in eulogy 

He had contended for the birthright and succeeded [25:29-34]. He had contended for the blessing and succeeded [27]. He had contended with Laban and succeeded [31]. He had contended with “men” and succeeded.  

Now he contends with God and fails. Hence his name was changed to Isra-el, God commands, to teach him the greatly needed lesson of dependence upon God. 

28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God.  

By this time Jacob’s lived a few years, had a great father-in-law in Laban. It probably was good for Jacob and Laban to be together because one always tried to out do the other one. 

Now he is one favored of or one having power with God. He went from Jacob a supplanter, to Israel, one favored of God.  

Despite Jacob’s concern, he has a favorable meeting with Esau. 

35:1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel,  and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.  

2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:  

Purification necessary in going up to Beth-el, the house of God. 

3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.  

4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.  

Jacob, being commanded to go to Bethel to renew his covenant with God, desired to put away every vestige of idolatry from the people, and for this reason he buried these earing amulets with the other idols under an oak. 

7 And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared, revealed Himself unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.  

8 But Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth. The oak of weeping. 

9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.  

10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. 

11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: [El Shaddai] be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

El Shaddai is the God who made Abraham exceeding fruitful. He is a God who is a God of mercy, illustrated by His calling Abraham when he was still Abram and giving him the blessing.  

He calls Jacob when he was still Jacob, a supplanter who would not hesitate to take advantage of someone else at the first opportunity.  

El Shaddai is God in all of His omnipotence, all of His almighty power. He is the Giver of all, bountifully. He is Almighty God in resources to defend, to support, and to supply every believer’s need. That same God is our father today. 

12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.  

16 And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.  

17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.  

18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, failing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni:[son of my sorrow] but his father called him Benjamin. [son of my right hand] 

19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. 

20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: [sepulchre] that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.  

27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.  

It does not follow that Jacob did not often see Isaac. As soon as Isaac was married, Abraham disappears from the history. It is the same with Isaac when Jacob married: and the same with Jacob when Joseph comes into prominence.  

They do not appear together in the history: but Abraham is described as “dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob” in Hebrews 11:9.

28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.  

29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.