Read Genesis 26:1-32:2 at Bible Gateway.
Hebrew paragraph divisions
Gen 26:1-33 {s} Life of Isaac repeats events from the life of Abraham (Isaac and Abimelech)
Gen 26:34-35 {s} Esau’s wives
Gen 27:1-28:9 {s} Jacob receives the blessing + Jacob’s wife (Life of Jacob repeats events from the life of Isaac)
Gen 28:10-32:2 {p} God fulfills His promise to Jacob (wives + children + flocks)
Gen 26:1-32:2 chiastic structure
1a) Gen 26:1-33 chiastic structure {s} God blesses Isaac in the land of his sojourning (Isaac and Abimelech);
1b) Gen 26:34-35 {s} Esau’s wives;
central axis) Gen 27:1-42 Jacob receives the blessing;
2b) Gen 27:43-28:9 {s} Jacob’s wife (Gen 26:34-28:9 chiastic structure);
2a) Gen 28:10-32:2 chiastic structure {p} God blesses Jacob in the land of his sojourning (wives + children + flocks).
The structure was actually pretty easy to identify as the Hebrew paragraphs formed the main elements of the structure. The central axis highlights that it was Jacob who received the birthright and the blessing of the firstborn, not Esau. Then God tells Jacob:
And behold, YHVH stood above it and said: “I am YHVH the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” Gen 28:13-15
We see that along with the birthright and the blessing, Jacob inherited the covenant and promises of Abraham and Isaac, not Esau. The final paragraph reveals that God did indeed keep His promise to Jacob to bless him.
The strong theme
God’s covenant transferred from Abraham and Isaac to Jacob.
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