Bible Study

13 and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. He became very wealthy —So that people used to say, “Rather the dung of Isaac’s mules than all Abimelech’s gold and silver” ( Bereishit Rabbah 64:7 ). The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys. GEN 24:35 14 He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him. And many servants means a great many things to do (i.e. great undertakings) O.F. ouvrene. The word עִבוֹדָה denotes one thing to be done whereas עִבֻדָּה denotes many things to be done. And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels. GEN 12:16 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. GEN 13:2 Photo by  Jacob Kelvin  from...

  The Birth of Esau and Jacob 19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham fathered Isaac, These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son —viz, Jacob and Esau who are spoken of in this section. Abraham fathered Isaac —Just because Scripture wrote, “Isaac, Abraham's son” it felt compelled to say “Abraham fathered Isaac,” because the cynics of that time said, “Sarah became with child of Abimelech. See how many years she lived with Abraham without becoming with child.” What did the holy One, blessed be he, do? He shaped Isaac’s facial features exactly similar to those of Abraham’s, so that everyone had to admit that Abraham fathered Isaac. This is what is stated here: “Isaac, Abraham's son,” for there is evidence that “Abraham fathered Isaac ( Midrash Tanchuma, Toldot 1 ). Bava Metzia 87a:13 What did Abraham, our forefather, do? He went and invited all of the great men of that generation, and Sarah, our foremother, invited their wives. Ea...

7 When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,” because she was attractive in appearance. לְאִשְׁתּוֹ means about his wife , just as ( 20:13 ) “Say of me ( לִי ), ‘He is my brother.’ ” Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” GEN 12:13 The young woman  was very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. GEN 24:16 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. MAT 10:28 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, EPH 5:25 Photo by  cottonbro  from  Pexels Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off...

55 Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” Her brother and her mother said —But where was Bethuel? He wished to prevent the marriage therefore an angel came and killed him ( Bereishit Rabbah 60:12 ). A while — יָמִים means a year—just as ( Lev 25:29 ) “the time of its redemption shall be one full year ( יָמִים )”—for the custom was to give a maiden twelve months to provide herself with ornaments ( Bereishit Rabbah 60:12 ). At least ten — Meaning ten months. But if you say that it does really mean “days,” it is not usual for people who make a request to ask for a little and to say “If you do not agree to this, then give us even more” ( Ketubot 57b ). Ketubot 57b:2 GEMARA: The Gemara asks: From where are these matters derived, that a virgin is given twelve months to prepare for her wedding? Rav Ḥisda said it is based on the fact that the verse states with regard to Rebekah: “Her brother an...

29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was  Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring. Laban ran —Why did he run and what did he run for? Now it came to pass, when he saw the ring —he said, “This must be a rich man,” and he had an eye to his money. 55 Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousands, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate him!” GEN 24:55, 60 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” GEN 29:5 32 So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. Photo by  Elina Sazonova  from  Pexels And unharnessed the camels —He removed their muzzles, for he had cl...

19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return. GEN 3:19 9 Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, 10 the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. GEN 25:9-10 27 And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. 28 Now the days of Isaac were 180 years. 29 And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. GEN 35:27-29 Photo by  Arralyn  from  Pexels but let me lie w...

10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor. Of his master's camels —These were distinguished from other camels by going out muzzled to avoid robbery—i.e. that they should not graze in other peoples’ fields ( Bereishit Rabbah 59:11 ). Taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master —He wrote a deed of gift of all his possessions in favour of Isaac so that they would be eager to send him their daughter ( Bereishit Rabbah 59:11 ). Mesopotamia —It was situated between two rivers. Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. GEN 11:31 Photo by  Simon Clayton  from  Pexels And Abraham said to his servant, the ...

WORD 1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. ROM 15:1-2, 7 Paul, speaking to the Roman believers, explained that those who were “strong” (or more open-minded) must bear with the weak (those who were more bound by the law) when it came to convictions and beliefs. While there are some things that the Bible definitely calls sin, there are many observances and rituals that developed in our search for God. Not everyone follows these same principles. In Paul’s time, the Jewish and Gentile believers would not mingle for this reason. Paul wrote to address this. By welcoming one another’s convictions and opinions, we build each other up. How can we be welcoming to others, even with our differences? Photo by  fauxels  from  Pexels 1 Be considerate o...