Genesis 35:16-29 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Genesis 35:16-29. Let’s go!
Genesis 35:16-18 (NIV)
16 Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty.
17 And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have another son.”
18 As she breathed her last–for she was dying–she named her son Ben-Oni. But his father named him Benjamin.
On verses 16-18: Rachel is giving birth to a second child but there are major complications with the delivery. Rachel dies in the process but not before giving birth to a son and calling him “Ben-Oni” meaning “son of my trouble”. Back then it was believed that a child’s name reflected the child’s destiny. Not wanting his newborn son to be destined for a life of trouble, Jacob steps in and renames him “Benjamin”, meaning “son at my right hand”. In Jacob’s culture, a father’s right hand symbolized his favour.
Benjamin went from son of my trouble to son of my right hand all because his father spoke a new word into his life that changed his name, changed his identity, changed his destiny. Similarly, when we were destined for trouble, your Heavenly Father sent Jesus Christ to speak a new word into your life that would change your identity and destiny, so that we would go from being children destined for trouble to children destined to live at the right hand of God’s presence, protection and blessing. The pain and trouble that we were destined for, God placed on His Son Jesus and the status that Jesus deserved – to be a son at the Father’s right hand – was given to us. All because of a Father stepped in.
Genesis 35:19-20 (NIV)
19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
20 Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.
On verses 19-20: Jacob buries Rachel (v19) and sets up a pillar to mark her tomb and to honour her life (v20).
Genesis 35:21-22a (NIV)
21 Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder.
22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it…
On verses 21-22a: Jacob, also known as Israel, moved on to a region beyond Migdal Eder. There Jacob’s firstborn Reuben sleeps with Bilhah, one of Jacob’s concubine wives, an act which effectively amounted to incest. Later the book of Leviticus would state that a man is not to have sexual relations with his father’s wife, for in so doing he would dishonour his father and would be punished by death (Leviticus 18:8 and 20:11). Why would Reuben commit this incestuous act? Some scholars believe it was Reuben’s attempt to usurp his father’s position of power in the family, similar to when King David’s son Absalom decided to sleep with David’s concubines (2 Samuel 16:22). Later on Jacob would condemn Reuben for this act (Genesis 49:3-4). Reuben’s act is very likely the reason why Reuben plays a less prominent role in the history of Israel as compared to other tribes. Instead of a double portion that would normally be afforded to the firstborn, that double portion would effectively go to Joseph’s descendants later on.
If Reuben’s act of sleeping with his father’s concubine wife was a power grab, the lesson we can learn here is in line with Jesus’ own words, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14)
Genesis 35:22b-29 (NIV)
22 …Jacob had twelve sons:
23 The sons of Leah: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun.
24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
25 The sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali.
26 The sons of Leah’s maidservant Zilpah: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
27 Jacob came home to his father Isaac in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed.
28 Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years.
29 Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
On verses 22b-29: Genesis 35 ends with a listing of Jacob’s sons and the short reunion of Jacob to his father Isaac in Mamre before Isaac passes. Esau and Jacob bury Isaac together.
Heavenly Father, thank You that when I was destined to be a son born for trouble, You stepped in and in love called me a son at Your right hand. Thank You that through Jesus Christ You have given me a new identity and a new destiny. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
