Tag: map of seir

jacob divides into 2 camps genesis 32 www.atozmomm.com

BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 21, Day 2: Genesis 32:1-8

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2020/2021

Summary of Genesis 32:1-8:

Jacob leaves Laban headed home. Jacob meets two angels and called the place Mahanaim, or “two camps.”  Jacob prepares to meet Esau. He sends messengers to him to tell Esau he is returning in order to see if he is still trying to kill him. The messengers return to Jacob and tell him that Esau is coming to meet him and is bringing 400 men. Jacob divides up into two camps so that at least one camp can survive if they are attacked by Esau.

BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 21, Day 2: Genesis 32:1-8

3a) Psalm says that the angels of the Lord camps around those who fear him and he delivers them. God sent an angel to protect Daniel in the lions’ den. Hebrews 1:14 says the Holy Spirit lives within you. 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 says God will judge the world. 2 Kings 6:8-23 tells how Israel was warned of approaching trouble. God sent angels to protect him.

b) Esau hated Jacob for when he traded his birthright for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:27-34) and was made lord over Esau (Genesis 27:35-41). Esau threatened to kill Jacob because of his stealing the blessing (Genesis 27:41), and Rebekah never sent for him, so he is assuming Esau still wants to kill him (Genesis 27:45)

4a) He divides up his herd so that at least part of his family will escape if Esau attacks one segment.

b) He is guided by fear. He does not seek the Lord until after he divides his belongings and family.

5a) Unsure

b) Always pray.

BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 21, Day 2: Genesis 32:1-8

Jacob reacts as most would: assuming Esau still wants to kill him. However, Jacob has spoken to God; he knows he is the promised one. Yet, he still fears for his life, and he does consult God after all the doings.

BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 21, Day 2: Genesis 32:1-8

map of mahanaim www.atozmomm.com bsf genesis bible study

Bible scholars debate why the angels of God met Jacob and what occurred here. Perhaps it marks a new beginning for Jacob as he separates from the ways of Laban, or perhaps God was showing His great love for Jacob.

Remember that angels are our servants (Hebrews 1:14). The angels were there the entire time, he just couldn’t see them. Elisha’s servant experiences this as well 2 Kings 6:15-17, The same goes for us as well. Angels are around us, too.

Jacob was humbling himself before Esau (saying he was his servant) and explaining that he didn’t want anything from him as he was a man of wealth.

Jacob was afraid because he knew he has wronged Esau, so Esau may still be mad. He had lost all courage he had with Laban (Genesis 31:36-42).

Jacob forget the angels standing next to him out of his fear. Since Rebekah never sent for him, Jacob was facing many unknowns. He needed to turn to God. Jacob divided his camps in order to preserve some of his wealth if Esau attacked. Again, God is absent here.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 24, Day 5: Genesis 33

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

map of succoth and peniel www.atozmomm.comSummary of passage:  Jacob sees Esau coming towards him with 400 men so he divides up the women and children, putting the maidservants first, then Leah and her kids and finally Rachel and Joseph in the rear (obvious preference here).  He went ahead and bowed 7 times to greet his brother.

Esau ran to meet Jacob and welcomed him with open arms.  They wept and kissed.  Jacob introduced his family and then insisted that Esau keep his gift of animals, saying to see his face is like seeing God’s.

Esau offered to accompany Jacob the rest of the way home, which Jacob refused, citing the fact his herds had a lot of babies and needed to go slow.  Esau offered to leave some of his men with Jacob but Jacob refused that as well.

So Esau went back to Seir while Jacob went to Succoth to shelter.  Then he ventured on to Shechem where he bought the land upon which to pitch his tent.  He set up an altar.

Questions:

14a)  He bowed down to the ground 7 times upon meeting Esau.  He calls himself Esau’s servant and his lord.  He insists Esau keep his peace offering of animals.

b)  They both wept.  He compared seeing Esau’s face to seeing God’s face (no light statement).

c)  Esau is genuinely glad to see Jacob.  He runs to him, embraces him, kisses him, and he weeps.  He asks to meet Jacob’s family and he attempts to refuse Jacob’s gift of animals. A selfish man would have gladly accepted.  He offers to accompany Jacob back “home” and to offer an escort of men as well.

15)  No where does it say in this passage Jacob passed 10 years at Shechem.  In fact, it doesn’t say.  This is a guess by scholars based off of a guess at Dinah’s age.  Genesis 31:13 seems to imply that God is calling Jacob to Bethel.  And in Genesis 35:1, God specifically calls Jacob to Bethel.

We all know if God calls, you go and go NOW!  Don’t wait!  Like the servant’s example in bringing back Rebekah, we must do God’s will and promptly.  There is no time to wait. Especially when we know life is so very short.

Conclusions:  In that culture, the act of Esau accepting the gifts was an act of forgiveness.  You never accepted gifts from an enemy.  With Esau’s acceptance, all was put right between the two brothers.

Jacob is still afraid of Esau.  He doesn’t want Esau to accompany him and he ends up lying to him, saying he will follow him when Jacob instead goes the opposite direction. Despite having wrestled with God, Jacob is STILL not trusting God to be in control and lead him.  Jacob inserts “Jacob” instead of “Israel” here and lingers where he should not.

Plus, Genesis 31:13 seems to imply God is calling Jacob to Bethel.  So why does he stop here in Shechem?  Fear.  Obstinance.  Desire to still be in charge.

One commentary I read suggested Jacob wanted to be close to the city (based off of Genesis 33:18), which is speculation in my view.  I believe Jacob just wanted to be away from Esau so he went in the opposite direction and stopped somewhere, which happened to be Shechem.

Interesting, however, to note that Jacob is repeating Lot’s sin of wanting to be close to Sodom.  As we shall see in chapter 34, sinful people have an unduly influence upon the godly.

Map Work:  Map of Shechem and Bethel with Jabbok River HERE

Another one with Succoth and Peniel HERE