Read Genesis 25:19-28:9 at Bible Gateway.
I study the Torah every year using the teaching tools of Scripture. (Why?)
The Hebrew paragraph divisions are:
Gen 25:19-34 p The seed of Isaac
Gen 26:1-33 s Contention over Isaac’s wife, and wells of water (life of Isaac repeats events from the life of Abraham)
Gen 26:34-35 s Esau’s wives
Gen 27:1-28:9 s Jacob receives the blessing + Esau’s jealousy (life of Jacob repeats events from the life of Isaac)
This Torah portion makes its own chiastic structure, however this year I was only able to discover the elaborate bookends; and I am not yet wise enough to decipher the central portion:
Gen 25:19-28:9
1a) Gen 25:19-20, Isaac the seed of Abraham took his wife Rebekah from Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram;
1b) Gen 25:21-22, Contention between the seed and Rebekah’s inquiry:
– 1b.1) Gen 25:21-22a, Rebekah conceived, and the children struggled together within her;
– 1b.2) Gen 25:22b, Rebekah enquired of YHVH, If it be so, why do I live?;
1c) Gen 25:23, YHVH said unto Rebekah, Two nations are in thy womb + the elder shall serve the younger;
1d) Gen 25:24-26, Birth of twins: the younger held his brothers’ heel, therefore his name was called Jacob;
1e) Gen 25:27-34 p, Isaac preferred Esau/ Rebekah preferred Jacob + Jacob gained the birthright + Esau despised the birthright;
Gen 26:1-33 s Contention over Isaac’s wife, and wells of water (life of Isaac repeats events from the life of Abraham)
Gen 26:34-35 s Esau’s wives
2e) Gen 27:1-34, Isaac preferred Esau/ Rebekah preferred Jacob + Jacob gained the blessing + Esau sought the blessing with tears;
2d) Gen 27:35-36, Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he hath supplanted me these two times;
2c) Gen 27:37, Isaac said unto Esau, I have made your brother your lord, and all his brethren his servants;
2b) Gen 27:38-46, Contention between the seed and Rebekah’s inquiry:
– 2b.1) Gen 27:38-45, Esau plans Jacob’s murder + Rebekah plans Jacob’s escape;
– 2b.2) Gen 27:46, Rebekah enquired of Isaac, If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, what good will my life be to me?
2a) Gen 28:1-9 s, Jacob the seed of Isaac sent to Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram for his wife.
The contention between the seed, the two nations of peoples, is one of the themes of the parashiot. YHVH grants His favor to the righteous seed, and not to the unrighteous. The unrighteous is jealous of his younger brother because of the favor and blessing, and seeks to kill his brother. With Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, and Esau and Jacob, the pattern repeats.
And today war is raging in Israel. The seed of Cain, Ishmael, and Esau is seeking to kill the seed of his brother, the seed of Seth, Isaac, and Jacob, because the favor and blessing of YHVH rests upon the seed of the promise, the righteous seed. Keep praying for Israel, that the unrighteous seed will not succeed in killing his brother the righteous seed!
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