Parashat 9 Portion 35 ‘’Va Yeshev’’ Gen 38:1-30 Hosea 12:1-9 +14:9

 Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, Creator of the universe, who desires covenantal intimacy with Your called-out ones – blessed are these whom You have called and given a heart that longs for and deeply desires deep covenantal life.  Please, YHVH, our Elohim, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our hearts and in the hearts of Your people, the family of Israel. May we and our offspring and the offspring of Your people, the house of Jacob – all of us – know Your Name and study Your Torah so that we may sincerely love one another and love You above all. Please uncover our eyes and open our hearts that we may carefully examine and receive the marvels and mysteries of Your Torah. Blessed are You, YHVH, who have established Your covenant with the set apart ones of Israel – through Yahshua our Messiah - Amein.

ויהי בעת ההוא – ‘’And at that time’’ – a dramatic change had taken place in YHVH’s covenant community.

 

Judah and Tamar

Gen 38:1  And at that time it came to be that Yehuḏah left his brothers, and turned aside to a man, an Aḏullamite whose name was Ḥirah. 

 

“Adullamite” means he’s from Adullam, a town in the lowlands of Canaan. So right away, the text is showing that Judah is moving away from his family and embedding himself among the Canaanites. That matters because Genesis often emphasizes the distinct identity of Jacob’s family, and here Judah is drifting into a different cultural and moral environment.

 

Genesis 38:1 is generally understood by commentators and theologians as a significant spiritual and moral backsliding (or downward spiral) for Judah, immediately after the sale of Joseph (recorded in Gen 37), indicating a voluntary separation from his family and the covenant community – (ויהי בעת ההוא) carries an ominous prophetic warning to all of mankind today.

 

Looking at Gen 38 we recall the words of Pastor Bob Mumford who once said ''sometimes you can mess up your life so badly not even God can repair the damage'' - now maybe he was just trying to make a point of how much damage we can bring upon ourselves and others - but his comment seems to point to very real existential collapse that both Jewish and gentile believers have faced for centuries – and will face more intensely than at other time in history - in the last days.

 

Bob Mumford’s quote is striking, but it’s also pretty controversial, because it clashes with a central theme found throughout the Scriptures, including the very chapter we mentioned.

Genesis 38 (Judah and Tamar) it is actually a sad example of how messy human choices can get. There’s deception, exploitation, broken responsibility, no one in the story comes out looking morally clean. By normal standards, it does look like a situation that’s been damaged beyond repair. And yet, the surprising turn is that Tamar becomes part of the lineage that leads to King David and, ultimately, to Yahshua. In other words, the story doesn’t erase the wrongdoing, but it shows that the outcome isn’t beyond redemption.

That’s where Mumford’s statement runs into tension with broader biblical theology. The Scriptures consistently acknowledges that people can cause real, lasting damage - to relationships, to communities, even to themselves. Consequences don’t just disappear. But it also pushes back against the idea that anything is beyond YHVH’s ability to redeem in some way. “Repair” might not mean restoring things to how they were before, but it often means bringing meaning, growth, and even new life out of a broken situation.

So, there is a genuine existential weight here: humans have the capacity to cause deep harm, sometimes irreversible in a practical sense. But the biblical narrative generally doesn’t end with “there’s no way back.” It leans more toward: even when you can’t undo what’s been done, you’re not cut off from the possibility of transformation and a different future’’

 

Gen 38:2  And Yehuḏah saw there a daughter of a certain Kena‛anite whose name was Shuwa. And he took her and went in to her. (def ‘’Shuwa’’ "a cry for help" – maybe YHVH wants to save the Canaanites too – one of Yahshua’s disciples was a Canaanite – Mat 10:4)

 

So, in verse 2, there Judah saw a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. So just like Esau took Canaanite women for wives, which meant trouble for his family, now Judah is taking a Canaanite woman for a wife, which is going to, of course, foreshadow trouble. In fact, this is the first time that someone in the Messianic seed line married a Canaanite woman.

 

And now we get to Judah’s sons, the next generation in this chapter, and it’s become so bad that now Judah’s oldest two sons are so wicked that YHVH had to kill them. How wicked did they need to be that they did worse things than Judah and his brothers did in order to deserve YHVH killing them?

 

Gen 38:3  So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Ěr. 

Gen 38:4  And she conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. 

 

Gen 38:5  And she conceived yet again and bore a son and called his name Shělah. (means to ‘’petition’’ – Tamar may have pertioned Jacob to permit the ‘’yibbum’’ the Levirate marriage, which Jacob later refused) And he was at Keziḇ when she bore him. (Chezib means to be “false – to lie and deceive”- a town in Judah – Judah deceived Tamar and YHVH deceived Judah)

 

Gen 38:6  And Yehuḏah took a wife for Ěr his first-born, and her name was Tamar. (date palm)

Gen 38:7  But Ěr, Yehuḏah’s first-born, was evil in the eyes of יהוה, and יהוה took his life. 

 

Moving on to verse 7, but Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the YHVH. We don’t know what Er did that was so wicked. We have no idea. (See Annanias and Saphira - Acts 5)

 

Gen 38:8  And Yehuḏah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.” 

 

“Perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her and raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, including the inheritance that the son would receive from the deceased brother.

 

Gen 38:9  And Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. And it came to be, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he spilled on the ground, lest he should give an offspring to his brother. 

Gen 38:10  But what he did displeased יהוה, so He took his life too. 

Gen 38:11  Then Yehuḏah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shělah is grown.” For he said, “Lest he also die as his brothers did.” And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house. 

Gen 38:12  And after a long time the daughter of Shuwa, Yehuḏah’s wife, died. And Yehuḏah was comforted, and went up to his sheep-shearers at Timnah, he and his friend Ḥirah the Aḏullamite. (sheep-shearing events in Biblical times could sometimes carry a “party” atmosphere that could result in all kinds of promiscuity)

Gen 38:13  And it was reported to Tamar, saying, “See, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” (Timnah is where Samson went earlier in his life to find a Philistine woman to marry – ("Timnah’’ means -allotment," or "an assigned territory." -Judges 16:4).

 

Jdg 14:1  And Shimshon went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. 

Jdg 14:2  And he went up and informed his father and mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. And now, take her for me for a wife.” 

Jdg 14:3  But his father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your brothers, or among all my people, that you should take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” And Shimshon said to his father, “Take her for me, for she is pleasing in my eyes.” 

 

Delilah's deception took place in the same strategic valley corridor as Timnah, only a short distance away from Timnath.

 

Valley of Sorek (Hebrew: נַחַל שׂוֹרֵק, Naḥal Sōrēq) = "Valley of the Choice Vines" or "Wadi of the Noble Vine."

This is the fertile valley where Delilah lived and where she deceived Samson

"Sorek" was a fertile valley (wadi) wine-growing region, and its name evoked "choice" or "noble" vines (often linked to bright red or dark purple grapes).

 

Interpretation of Sorek (explicitly given in Isaiah 5:7): YHVH’s Faithful Plan Over Human Sin

For the vineyard of YHVH of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice (mishpat), but behold, bloodshed (mispach); for righteousness (tsedaqah), but behold, an outcry (tse'aqah)!- cry of distress (especially as heard by YHVH) – from a people captured by an immoral religious spirit)

 

YHVH expected His people to produce the "good fruit" of justice and righteousness, but they produced oppression, violence, and injustice instead. The sorek (best possible start) highlights the tragedy: despite YHVH's lavish care, the people failed miserably. This parable sets up the "woes" (judgments) that follow in the rest of Isaiah 5.

 

And ‘’Sorek’’(the valley of grace) is the same place YHVH called me too many years ago to look after a flock of sheep – maybe YHVH will call me back again, maybe YHVH has prepared a place for me to  return again, maybe YHVH will call some of you to join me there again – I know the Sorek valley and foothills well- maybe like Joseph, I’m just a dreamer, maybe the promise is for us and for our seed –

 

Jos 1:3  “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads I have given you, as I spoke to Mosheh. 

Jos 1:4  “From the wilderness and this Leḇanon even as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Ḥittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, is your border. 

Jos 1:5  “No man is going to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Mosheh, so I am with you. I do not fail you nor forsake you. 

Jos 1:6  “Be strong and courageous, for you are to let this people inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 

Jos 1:7  “Only be strong and very courageous, to guard to do according to all the Torah which Mosheh My servant commanded you. Do not turn from it right or left, so that you act wisely wherever you go. 

Jos 1:8  “Do not let this Book of the Torah depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you guard to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and act wisely. 

Jos 1:9  “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, nor be discouraged, for יהוה your Elohim is with you wherever you go.

 

Gen 38:14  And she took off her widow’s garments, and covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat at the entrance to Ěnayim which was on the way to Timnah. For she saw that Shělah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife. 

Gen 38:15  And Yehuḏah saw her, and reckoned her for a whore, for she had covered her face. 

 

So, Tamar wraps herself up, which specifically refers to the dress of a temple prostitute, and she sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. She dressed like a prostitute, but Judah was her only intended customer, because she goes and sits on the road where Judah would be on. She placed herself where she knew he would see her. She obviously would have known that he would be tempted by her.

 

And so, Tamar conceives by Judah, which was not Judah’s plan, but it was Tamar’s plan. But it appeared to be YHVH’s plan. So, in verse 19, Tamar arose and went away, keeping the pledge items with her to prove that it was Judah who had hired her because she was now pregnant.

 

Tamar wanted something that would obviously belong to Judah because Tamar is going to need to prove that Judah was the one who hired her and the one responsible for getting her pregnant. Otherwise, she knew that she would be put to death once she’s found out because she was engaged in prostitution while betrothed to Shelah.

 

And since she was technically betrothed, she was technically married, and so this is technically adultery. And so, she should be technically put to death, which is the judgment that Judah makes when Tamar is found to be with child.

 

Gen 38:16  And he turned aside to her by the way, and said, “Please let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What do you give me to come in to me?” 

Gen 38:17  And he said, “Let me send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “Do you give me a pledge until you send it?” 

Gen 38:18  So he said, “What pledge should I give you?” And she said, “Your seal and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” And he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 

Gen 38:19  And she arose and went away and removed her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood. 

Gen 38:20  And Yehuḏah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Aḏullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her. 

Gen 38:21  And he asked the men of that place, saying, “Where is the cult prostitute who was beside the way to Ěnayim?” And they said, “There was no cult prostitute in this place.” 

Gen 38:22  And he returned to Yehuḏah and said, “I have not found her. And the men of the place also said there was no cult prostitute in this place.” 

Gen 38:23  And Yehuḏah said, “Let her take them for herself, lest we become despised,(exposed for our sinfulness) for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.” 

Gen 38:24  And it came to be, about three new moons after, that Yehuḏah was informed, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has whored, and see, she has conceived by whoring.” And Yehuḏah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” 

Gen 38:25  When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please examine whose these are: the seal and the cord and the staff.” 

Gen 38:26  And Yehuḏah examined and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shělah my son.” And he never knew her again. 

Gen 38:27  And it came to be, at the time for giving birth, that see, twins were in her womb. 

 

Gen 38:28  And it came to be, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand. And the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 

Gen 38:29  And it came to be, as he drew back his hand, that see, his brother came out! And she said, “How did you break through? This breach be upon you!” So, his name was called Perets. 

Gen 38:30  And afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. So his name was called Zeraḥ. 

 

Zerah (or Zarah), the son of Judah and Tamar, represents a "breakthrough" that was ultimately overshadowed by his twin brother Perez, highlighting God's sovereignty over human birthright conventions. Though he initially put his hand out first and was marked with a scarlet thread by the midwife, he withdrew it, allowing Perez to be born first.

 

Destiny and Lineage: While his brother Perez inherited the primary messianic line, Zerah's descendants (the Zerahites) were a recognized and important clan within the tribe of Judah, mentioned in Numbers 26:20.

 

Perets - (The Breaker) Destroys Yokes and Bondage: Based on Isaiah 10:27, this anointing is known as the "breaker's oil" that breaks the yoke of bondage, curses, and generational limitations.

 

Genesis 38:28-30 signifies YHVH's sovereign grace overriding human brokenness, as Perez (the younger twin) breaks through to become the ancestor of King David and Yahshua, despite Zerah (the older) being marked first. It highlights themes of divine election over traditional birthright, the inclusion of unexpected individuals in the Messianic line, and redemption from scandal.

 

verse 29, the midwife says, “What a breach you have made for yourself,” therefore his name was called Perez. Rashi interprets this as saying, what a strong effort you have made, which reinforces that the brothers were struggling inside the womb, and the younger overcame the older.

Rom 9:15  For He says to Mosheh, “I shall favour whomever I favour, and I shall have compassion on whomever I have compassion.” Exo_33:19. 

Rom 9:16  So, then, it is not of him who is wishing, nor of him who is running, but of Elohim who shows favour. 

 

Blessed are you YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of the Torah – Amein.

Additional midrash:

 

Reuben lost the first-born status and it was passed on to Judah - but Judah committed incest and possibly adultery - as Tamar was most probably betrothed yet Judah does not forfeit the birthright. In some genealogies Reuben is mentioned first – so we can assume the birthright blessing was purely at YHVH’s discretion and was meant to be accepted as such and not to be seen as some kind of demotion or promotion but seen as the chosen candidate in YHVH’s eyes.

The first born received a double portion with greater responsibility, calling and purpose.

 

The passing of the birthright was fundamentally at YHVH's discretion, designed to fulfil his sovereign purpose rather than being a merit-based reward for perfection. The accounts in Genesis 1 and Chron 5 show that YHVH often chose the "unlikely" candidate—the younger over the older, and the flawed over the seemingly stable, to demonstrate favour and sovereignty.

 

1. The Disqualification of Reuben

Reuben did not just commit a sin; he committed a deliberate act of usurping Jacob’s authority. By sleeping with Bilhah, his father's concubine, he was symbolically attempting to claim his father’s authority (Gen 35:22, 49:3-4).

 

However, Reuben deeply repents - Reuben’s actions in Genesis 42, where he addresses his brothers about their past treatment of Joseph and Jacob.

 

2. The Transfer of Birthright: Joseph vs. Judah

It is crucial to note that the birthright (the double portion of inheritance) was actually divided:

 

·         A Double Portion went to Joseph (1 Chron 5:1-2), and his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, each became a tribe (Gen 48:5). Joseph plays a vital role in saving his own family as well as the destiny of the nation of Israel.

 

·         A double portion went to Judah - The Leadership (Scepter/Rulership) - Gen 49:10.

 

Yahshua embodies this double portion of both Joseph and Judah.

A double portion, in biblical terms, refers to the inheritance of the firstborn son, consisting of two parts of an estate rather than the single portion given to other sons.

Some scholars believe that the ‘’assembly of the first born refers to those who will be part of the first resurrection.

Heb 12:22  But you have drawn near to Mount Tsiyon and to the city of the living Elohim, to the heavenly Yerushalayim, to myriads of messengers, 

Heb 12:23  to the entire gathering and assembly of the first-born having been enrolled in heaven, and to Elohim the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 

Heb 12:24  and to יהושע the Mediator of a new covenant. (Gk word ‘’neas’’ means refreshed, while the Greek word Katargeó - To abolish, nullify, or render inactive/powerless.

 

Eph 2:15  having abolished in His flesh the enmity – the torah of the commands in dogma –( of men and not from YHVH) - so as to create in Himself one renewed man from the two, thus making peace.

 

NOTE – NOT THE TORAH OF MOSES. Unless there is deep repentance in both houses of Israel – they may not be part of the first resurrection and will have to wait for the second resurrection – However, in the last days before the return of Messiah many, from both houses of Israel will deeply repent and become one family and part of the ‘’assembly of the first born”

 

Gal 4:19  My little children, for whom I am again in birth pains until Messiah is formed in you, 

 

2Co 11:3  But I am afraid, lest, as the serpent deceived Ḥawwah by his trickery, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Messiah. 

2Co 11:4  For, indeed, if he who is coming proclaims another יהושע,a whom we have not proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different Good News which you have not accepted, you put up with it well enough! Footnote: a Mat_24:5 and Mat_24:23-24, Jhn_5:43. 

 

It’s getting late – time is running out.

 

1Co 10:11  And all these came upon them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us, on whom the ends of the ages have come, 

1Co 10:12  so that he who thinks he stands, let him take heed lest he fall. 

1Co 10:13  No trial has overtaken you except such as is common to man, and Elohim is trustworthy, who shall not allow you to be tried beyond what you are able, but with the trial shall also make the way of escape, enabling you to bear it. 

 

 

 

Parashat 9 Portion 34 ‘’Vayeshev’’ Gen 37:1-36 Is 32:18-33:6,15

 Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, Creator of the universe, who desires covenantal intimacy with His called-out ones – blessed are these whom You have called and given a heart that longs for and deeply desires this covenantal life.  Please, YHVH, our Elohim, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our hearts and in the hearts of Your people, the family of Israel. May we and our offspring and the offspring of Your people, the house of Jacob – all of us – know Your Name and study Your Torah so that we may sincerely love one another and love You above all. Please uncover our eyes and open our hearts that we may carefully examine and receive the marvels and mysteries of Your Torah. Blessed are You, YHVH, who has enterd into covenant with the set apart ones of Israel – through Yahshua our Messiah - Amein.

וישׁב

Gen 37:1  And Ya‛aqoḇ dwelt (וישׁב) in the land of his father’s sojournings, (מגורי)  in the land of Kena‛an. 

 וישׁב יעקב בארץ מגורי אביו בארץ כנען׃ 

The sages focus heavily on the contrast between “settled” (vayeshev) implying permanence, rest, and tranquility and “sojourning” (megurei) implying impermanence, strangerhood and pilgrimage.

The word ‘’megurei’’ underscores that the land was still only a place of sojourning for Jacob’s family (as it had been for Abraham and Isaac). Jacob wanted permanent peaceful settlement after his turbulent life (Esau, Laban, Dinah, etc.), but YHVH disrupted that desire with the Joseph saga. The sages see this as a divine caution against seeking and expecting too much ease in this world.

This highlights that the full inheritance and security of the land had not yet arrived

Some midrashim connect it to the broader theme that true “settling” for the righteous only comes in the World to Come, not in this imperfect world.

Ramban emphasizes the contrast with Esau: Esau and his descendants took permanent possession (achuzah) of their land (Mount Seir – which didn’t prove that permanent either)

‘’Megurei’’ carries an emotional tone of alienation, hostility and impermanence, even in the Promised Land, Jacob still feels like a stranger and a temporary dweller and sometimes even a trespasser unwelcome in the land promised to them by YHVH.

This opening verse is often read as a theological lesson: Righteous people cannot expect complete rest and security in this world; trials often follow attempts at tranquility. It also foreshadows the long exile and sojourning of a chosen people.

Heb 11:8  By belief, Aḇraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he was about to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 

Heb 11:9  By belief, he sojourned in the land of promise as a stranger, dwelling in tents with Yitsḥaq and Ya‛aqoḇ, the heirs with him of the same promise, 

Heb 11:10  for he was looking for the city having foundations, whose builder(בונה) and maker (architect מכוננה) is Elohim. (מכוננה) -  her founder, her establisher.

 

Mat 16:18 Yahshua says ‘’ I shall build (אבנה)My assembly, and the gates of She’ol shall not overcome it’’

Heb 11:13  In belief all these died, not having received the promises, but seeing them from a distance, welcomed and embraced them, and confessed that they were aliens and strangers on the earth.

 

Heb 11:39  And having obtained witness through the belief, all these did not receive the promise,c Footnote: cSee Heb_11:13. (the promise of what? The Messiah? The promised land and all its abundance? Victory over our enemies? – views differ.)

Heb 11:40  Elohim having provided what is better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. (perfect 100% pure)

 

Gen 37:2  This is the genealogy of Ya‛aqoḇ. (Although it says, "of Jacob," the narrative immediately focuses on Joseph at seventeen years old and his brothers.) Yosěph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the young man was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Yosěph brought an evil report of them to his father. 

 

Genesis 37:2 singles out the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah,Dan, Naphtali, Gad, - sages and scholars believe the reason must be important but have long debated on these reasons for singling out the sons of the concubines – however, there is no unified agreement why it is recorded in the Torah in this way. (maybe concubines’ children were not as highly esteemed or even less loved than the children from their madams – Leah and Rachel – maybe like Yahshua’s disciples - fishermen)

 

Gen 37:3  And Yisra’ěl loved Yosěph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a long robe. 

 

The robe given to Joseph in Genesis 37:3 is understood by scholars and commentators to be a princely or royal garment. It signified that Joseph was to be honoured above his older brothers, often interpreted as Jacob designating him as the future head of the household, a right typically reserved for the firstborn.

Gen 37:4  But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and were not able to speak peaceably to him. 

Gen 37:5  And Yosěph dreamed a dream, and told it to his brothers. So they hated him even more. (true of Joseph and true of Messiah)

 

‘’God isn’t fair He is just’’ -Is 55:8,9  - Bob Mumford.

 

Gen 37:6  And he said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I have dreamed: 

Gen 37:7  “See, we were binding sheaves in the midst of the field, and see, my sheaf rose up and also stood up. And see, your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.” 

Gen 37:8  And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Shall you indeed rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. 

 

The Hebrew gives us more insight - Gen 37:8  ויאמרו לו אחיו המלך תמלך עלינו אם־משׁול תמשׁל בנו

 

Lit ‘’are you going to be our king, yes our king  or (אם) have dominion – yes complete dominion over us (בנו)’’

 

Gen 37:9  And he dreamed still another dream and related it to his brothers, and said, “See, I have dreamed another dream, and see, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” 

 

Some interpreters (especially those who see Joseph as a strong type or foreshadowing of the Messiah) do view the two dreams in Genesis 37:8 and 37:9 as carrying possible symbolic or typological significance related to the two comings of the Messiah (first coming in humility/suffering and second coming in esteem and universal rule).

 

Gen 37:10  And he related it to his father and his brothers. And his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall we, your mother and I and your brothers, indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” 

Gen 37:11  And his brothers envied him, but his father guarded the word. 

 

Isa 8:14  “And He shall be for a set-apart place, but a stone of stumbling and a rock that makes for falling to both the houses of Yisra’ěl,

 

Isa 53:1  Who has believed our report? And to whom was the arm of יהוה revealed? 

Isa 53:2  For He grew up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or splendour that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should desire Him – 

Isa 53:3  despised and rejected by men, a man of pains and knowing sickness. And as one from whom the face is hidden, being despised, and we did not consider Him. 

Isa 53:4  Truly, He has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains. Yet we reckoned Him smitten·, stricken by Elohim, and afflicted. 

Isa 53:5  But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our crookednesses. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 

Isa 53:6  We all, like sheep, went astray, each one of us has turned to his own way. And יהוה has laid on Him the crookedness of us all. 

Isa 53:7  He was oppressed and He was afflicted, but He did not open His mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, but He did not open His mouth. 

Isa 53:8  He was taken from prison and from judgment. And as for His generation, who considered that He shall be cut off from the land of the living? For the transgression of My people He was stricken. 

Isa 53:9  And He was appointed a burial-site with the wrong, and with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was deceit in His mouth.a Footnote: a 1Pe_2:22. 

Isa 53:10  But יהוה was pleased to crush Him, He laid sickness on Him, that when He made Himself an offering for guilt, He would see a seed, He would prolong His days and the pleasure of יהוה prosper in His hand. 

Isa 53:11  He would see the result of the suffering of His life and be satisfied. Through His knowledge My righteous Servant makes many righteous, and He bears their crookednesses. 

Isa 53:12  Therefore I give Him a portion among the great, and He divides the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His being unto death, and He was counted with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. 

 

Joseph Sold by His Brothers

Gen 37:12  And his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Sheḵem. 

Gen 37:13  And Yisra’ěl said to Yosěph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Sheḵem? Come, I send you to them.” So he said to him, “Here I am.” 

 

Shechem as a Place of Danger and Past Sin Shechem carries heavy baggage for Jacob’s family.

(Note the dotted letters over “את צאן” suggesting a future reference to the Messianic age)

 

The Hidden Meaning: The Midrash (Genesis Rabbah 84:13) suggests that the dots, which often signal that a word should be deleted or changed, imply the brothers were neglecting their duties to their father's sheep, highlighting their animosity towards Joseph and their insincerity towards their father. (a problem that persists in both houses of Israel)

 

Irony and Foreshadowing of Family Division Shechem is not a neutral place. It later becomes a site of major division in Israel’s history (the kingdom splits there after Solomon — 1 Kings 12). In the Joseph story, it symbolizes the growing fracture in Jacob’s family. The brothers’ journey to Shechem separates them physically from their father and sets up the betrayal that will send Joseph to Egypt — ironically preserving the family through famine later. (great tribulation)

 

Joseph’s (Yahshua’s) obedient response (“Here I am” — hineni) echoes Abraham’s readiness (Genesis 22) and shows his loyalty to his father despite knowing his brothers hate him. Jewish sages (Rashi, Ramban, etc.) see divine orchestration here: YHVH uses this journey (and even the mysterious “man” who redirects Joseph to Dothan in v. 15–17) to fulfill His purposes. What looks like a family errand is part of YHVH’s plan to get Joseph/Yahshua to Egypt, from where where he will eventually save the family and fulfill his dreams. Mt 2:15 -  “Out of Mitsrayim I have called My Son.” Exo_4:22-23, Hos_11:1, Rev_21:7. 

 

Gen 37:14  And he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the sheep, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Ḥeḇron, and he went to Sheḵem. 

 

 Hebron is located on a hill (actually part of the Judean hill country, at a high elevation of about 3,000 feet / 900+ meters above sea level), yet Genesis 37:14 says Jacob sent Joseph “out of the valley (עֵמֶק / emek) of Hebron.”

 

In other words, the word emek is deliberately chosen to hint at the depth/mystery of YHVH’s decree or the profound divine plan. By sending Joseph from the “valley/depth of Hebron,” the Torah reveals the hidden counsel of YHVH’s counsel. (The Torah is like a parable)

 

‘’According to Matthew 13:10-17, Yahshua spoke in parables to reveal the secrets of the kingdom of heaven to his disciples while concealing them from those with hardened hearts. Parables served to fulfil prophecy by separating listeners who genuinely sought understanding from those who saw and heard without perceiving, thereby revealing individual spiritual conditions’’

 

Gen 37:15  And a certain man found him, and see, he was wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What do you seek?” מה־תבקשׁ (Jn 20:15 - ־מִי תְבַקֵּשִׁי) “who do you seek’’

Gen 37:16  And he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Please inform me where they are feeding their sheep.” 

Gen 37:17  And the man said, “They have left here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go towards Dothan.’ ” So Yosěph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan - some interpret "Dothan" (from dat meaning law – Persian/Aramaic) as the place where the brothers sought a legal loophole or "double law" to justify their actions against Joseph. The destruction of the Temple is seen as the ultimate consequence when the law is used as a weapon of division rather than a source of unity.

 

Maybe ‘’Dothan or double law or two wells’’ refers how Israel would be divided – having two laws - like Jew and gentile – Jews have the Torah, gentiles have the New testament.

 

Or maybe, ‘Dothan’’ or double law refers to that time when Israel committed one of the most treacherous acts imaginable against YHVH – while YHVH was preparing an eternal marriage covenant with His people Israel – a ‘’ketubah’’ – the 10 sayings – Israel was having an idolatrous affair with a strange ‘’god’’ YHVH was so angry He broke the ‘’ketubah’’ the marriage covenant and wanted to destroy the entire nation.

Moses intervenes –

Exo 32:10  “And now, let Me alone, that My wrath might burn against them and I consume them and I make of you a great nation.” 

Exo 32:11  But Mosheh pleaded with יהוה his Elohim, and said, “יהוה, why does Your wrath burn against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Mitsrayim with great power and with a strong hand? 

Exo 32:12  “Why should the Mitsrites speak, and say, ‘For evil He brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from the heat of Your wrath, and relent from this evil to Your people. 

Exo 32:13  “Remember Aḇraham, Yitsḥaq, and Yisra’ěl, Your servants, to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, ‘I increase your seed like the stars of the heavens. And all this land that I have spoken of I give to your seed, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ” 

Exo 32:14  And יהוה relented from the evil which He said He would do to His people. 

Exo 32:15  And Mosheh turned and went down from the mountain, and in his hand were the two tablets of the Witness, tablets written on both their sides, written on the one and on the other. 

 

Exo 32:19  And it came to be, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. And Mosheh’s displeasure burned, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 

 

Exo 34:1  And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I shall write on these tablets the Words that were on the first tablets which you broke. 

 

Maybe Dothan reminded us of covenantal renewal – a second set of tablets – the same covenant – renewed.

 

The New Covenant

Jer 31:31  “See, the days are coming,” declares יהוה, “when I shall make a renewed covenant with the house of Yisra’ěl and with the house of Yehuḏah,a Footnote: a Heb_8:8-12, Heb_10:16-17. 

Jer 31:32  not like the covenant I made with their fathers in the day when I strengthenedb their hand to bring them out of the land of Mitsrayim, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares יהוה. Footnote: bCommonly understood as “take hold of.” 

Jer 31:33  “For this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Yisra’ěl after those days, declares יהוה: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. 

 

Hesed: The Hebrew Word That Changes How You Read the Entire Bible

 https://youtu.be/Qqvf4b8w5kk?si=wAVXuy_GqAH40evc

 

Gen 37:18  And they saw him from a distance, and before he came near them, they plotted against him, to kill him. 

 

And so Yahshua was sent by YHVH to renew this ancient covenant – and we killed Him.

 

And YHVH looks for an intercessor – a Moses – and He can’t find one.

 

Eze 22:30  “And I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the breach before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it – but I did not find one! 

 

Isa 59:16  And He saw that there was no man, and was astonished that there was no intercessor. So His own arm saved for Him, and His righteousness upheld him. 

 

Yahshua and Yahshua alone is YHVH’s Righteousness – and we are BECOMING that righteousness – 2Co 5:21  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of Elohim. 

 

Isa 48:8  “No, you have not heard; no, you have not known; no, from of old your ear has not been open. Because I knew that you are indeed treacherous and are called ’a transgressor from the womb.’ 

Isa 48:9  “For My Name’s sake I postponed My displeasure, and for My praise I held it back from you, so as not to cut you off. 

 

Isa 48:10  “See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.a Footnote: aSee also Deu_8:2-16. 

 

Isa 48:10  הנה צרפתיך ולא בכסף בחרתיך בכור עני׃ 

 

If we were refined as silver none of us would survive – so, YHVH preserves a not yet fully refined remnant and continues to refine them in His millennial kingdom – not by fire but by His Word –

 

Jer 50:20  “In those days and at that time,”(era) declares יהוה, “the crookedness of Yisra’ěl shall be searched for, but there shall be none; and the sin of Yehuḏah, but none shall be found. For I shall pardon those whom I leave as a remnant. 

 

Isa 48:11  “For My own sake, for My own sake, I do it. For how (should My name)be profaned? And My esteem I do not give to another. 

 

Isa 48:11  למעני למעני אעשׂה כי איך יחל וכבודי לאחר לא־אתן׃ 

 

On account of Me – On account of Me – I shall do this – how can My esteem be profaned? I will not give it to another. (no one can claim any credit for their performance)

‘’The phrase "but not as silver" in Isaiah 48:10 indicates that while YHVH does refine his people through affliction, he does not put them through the same intense, total refining process used for silver. If YHVH were to refine them with the extreme severity required to remove all dross from silver, it would result in their destruction, rather than their purification’’

 

It is practically impossible to purify silver to 100%

 

Silver in its molten state will reflect your image – almost perfectly. Once it is poured it loses its almost perfect reflective ability.

 

If YHVH does not shorten the end time tribulation (purification) none of us will survive – Mat 24:22  “And if those days were not shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the sake of the chosen ones those days shall be shortened. 

 

In the Messianic Kingdom, this cycle is finally broken and our ‘’refining’’ (100%) comes through the Torah as taught by Yahshua –

Isa 2:2  And it shall be in the latter days that the mountain of the House of יהוה is established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills. And all nations shall flow to it. 

Isa 2:3  And many peoples shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of יהוה, to the House of the Elohim of Ya‛aqoḇ, and let Him teach us His ways, and let us walk in His paths, for out of Tsiyon comes forth the Torah, and the Word of יהוה from Yerushalayim.” 

Isa 2:4  And He shall judge between the nations, and shall reprove many peoples. And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither teach battle any more. 

Isa 2:5  O house of Ya‛aqoḇ, come and let us walk in the light of יהוה.

 

Gen 37:19  And they said to each other, “See, this master of dreams is coming! (Only Yahshua ‘’the dreamer’’ can purify us 100%.

 

Gen 37:20  “Now, then, come and let us now kill him and throw him into some pit, and shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ Let us then see what comes of his dreams!” 

Gen 37:21  But Re’uḇěn heard and rescued him from their hands, and said, “Let us not strike his being.” 

Gen 37:22  And Re’uḇěn said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him” – in order to rescue him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father. 

Gen 37:23  So it came to be, when Yosěph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Yosěph of his robe, the long robe which was on him. (sound familiar?)

Gen 37:24  And they took him and threw him into a pit. And the pit was empty, there was no water in it. (sound familiar?)

Gen 37:25  And they sat down to eat a meal. And they lifted their eyes and looked and saw a company of Yishma‛ělites, coming from Gil‛aḏ with their camels, bearing spices, and balm, and myrrh, going to take them down to Mitsrayim. 

Gen 37:26  And Yehuḏah said to his brothers, “What would we gain if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? (Judas (from the tribe of Judah) did not kill the Messiah, he paid 30 pieces of silver to sell him as a slave)

Gen 37:27  “Come and let us sell him to the Yishma‛ělites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our flesh.” And his brothers listened. 

Gen 37:28  And men, Miḏyanite traders passed by, so they pulled Yosěph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Yishma‛ělites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Yosěph to Mitsrayim. 

Gen 37:29  And Re’uḇěn returned to the pit, and see, Yosěph was not in the pit. And he tore his garments. (Reuben knew this would destroy his father)

Gen 37:30  And he returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone! And I, where am I to go?” 

Gen 37:31  So they took Yosěph’s robe, slew a male goat, and dipped the robe in the blood, 

 

Gen 37:32  and sent the long robe and brought it to their father and said, “We have found this. Please look, is it the robe of your son or not?” (phrase (הכר־נא) ‘’please look’’ is repeated again in  Genesis 38:25: Tamar says this to Judah while holding his staff, cord, and seal, saying "identify/recognize now" (הַכֶּר־נָא) to whom these belong- Judah was falsely accusing Tamar)

 

Gen 37:33  And he recognised it and said, “It is my son’s robe. An evil beast has devoured him. Yosěph is torn, torn to pieces.” 

Gen 37:34  And Ya‛aqoḇ tore his garments, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. 

Gen 37:35  And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “Now let me go down into She’ol to my son in mourning.” So his father wept for him.  

Gen 37:36  And the Miḏanites had sold him in Mitsrayim to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. 

 

Blessed are you YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of the Torah – Amein.

Additional midrash and challenge:

YHVH - Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith through Yahshua – Hebrews 12  (summarized)

 Do you see what this means— we are surrounded by a crowd of witnesses past and present who have gone through these same trails - cheering us on? It means we must move on to spiritual maturity. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us keeping your eyes on Yahshua, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it, because he never lost sight of where he was headed - And now he’s there, in the place of honour, right alongside YHVH. When you find yourselves discouraged or depressed, go over this truth again and again -Torah portion by Torah portion - the journey of our Fathers – Abraham Isaac and Jacob who endured great suffering but persevered to the end.

In this all-out match against sin and opposition, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Yahshua went through—all that bloodshed and suffering! So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that YHVH regards you as His children?

My dear child, don’t shrug off YHVH’s discipline,
    but don’t be crushed by it either.
It’s the child He loves that he disciplines;
    the child He embraces, he also corrects.

YHVH is educating you; that’s why you must never give up. He’s treating you as precious children. This difficulty you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of being a disciple. We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace YHVH’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But YHVH is doing what is best for us, training us to live according to His purposes. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off big-time, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with YHVH and with man and receive favour to persevere to the end.

 So, no more time for self-pity! No more dragging your feet! Prepare yourself for a long-distance journey. Help each other out. And embrace the journey!

 Work at getting along with each other and with the desire of your Heavenly Father. There is an eternal and great reward - Make sure no one gets left out of YHVH generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitterness. A weed or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away YHVH’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted YHVH’s blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.

 So don’t turn a deaf ear to these gracious words. If those who ignored earthly warnings didn’t get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice at Sinai at time shook the earth to its foundations; this time— He states very clearly —that there will be a far greater shaking of the heavens and the earth - One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern.” The phrase “one last shaking” means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that His unshakable kingdom will stand forever -clear, clean and uncluttered.

 Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but overflowing with worship, deeply grateful to YHVH. For YHVH is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. YHVH himself is the Fire!

 

Parashat 8 Portion 33 Vayishlach Gen 35:9-36:43 Is 61:2-9 + 62:1-3

Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, Creator of the universe, You have set us apart for Yourself through Your Covenant commandments and You have called us to internalize the words of Your Covenant. Please, YHVH, our Elohim, sweeten the words of Your Covenant in our mouths and in the mouths of Your people, the family of Israel. May we and our offspring and the offspring of Your people, the house of Israel – all of us – know Your Name and embrace Your Covenant so that we may deeply love one another and love You above all. Please uncover our eyes and open our hearts that we may carefully examine and receive the marvels and mysteries of Your Covenant. Blessed are You, YHVH, who enters into Covenant with Your beloved Bride - Israel.

Deu 32:9  “For the portion of יהוה is His people, Ya‛aqoḇ His allotted inheritance.

Deu 32:8  “When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance (Gen 10 &Ps 82) When He separated the sons of Aḏam, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the children of Yisra’ěl. (or Elohim)

וירא אלהים אל־יעקב – and Elohim appeared to Jacob (Israel)

 

Gen 35:9  And Elohim appeared to Ya‛aqoḇ again, when he came from Paddan Aram, and blessed him. 

 

The verb ‘’vayera’’ (וירא) is a Niphal (Passive form) indicating that the initiative for YHVH appearing to Yakov came from YHVH – for covenant confirmation to Yakov and his descendants.

This is the third major divine encounter Jacob has at Bethel (the first was the ladder dream in Genesis 28; the second was YHVH’s command in Genesis 35:1 to go there and build an altar).

It indicates a direct, personal manifestation of YHVH - a theophany or visible manifestation of Himself, not a messenger, not merely an inner feeling or a distant voice – this is YHVH Himself.

 

Hebraic understanding holds that while YHVH having no physical existence, YHVH can manifest in ways humans can perceive, through a sense of His personal presence, as well as through sent messengers. (“No one can see YHVH and live” — Exodus 33:20)

Joh 4:24  “Elohim is Spirit, and those who worship Him need to worship in spirit and truth.” 

 

Whether a ‘’theophany’’ or a ‘’messenger’’ appears – it is as good as if YHVH Himself is appearing – In Gen 18:1 the messenger is called YHVH.

 

Rudolf Bultmann (1884–1976): Famous for existential interpretation, he described the doctrine of the pre-existence of Christ as well the doctrine of the trinity  "not only irrational but utterly meaningless".

 

More and more theologians argue that if Jesus truly pre-existed as a divine being, his human experience was not genuine. They maintain that for Jesus to be fully human, his existence must have begun at his conception.

These false teachings are not only offensive to YHVH but are a stumbling block to the house of Jacob.

 

1Jn 4:1  Beloved ones, do not believe every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of Elohim, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 

1Jn 4:2  By this you know the Spirit of Elohim: Every spirit that confesses that יהושע Messiah has come in the flesh is of Elohim, 

1Jn 4:3  and every spirit that does not confess that יהושע Messiah has come in the flesh is not of Elohim. And this is the spirit of the anti-messiah which you heard is coming, and now is already in the world. 

 

‘’Some writers explicitly claim that the Trinity doctrine (formalized at Nicaea in 325 and Constantinople in 381) is the “mark” or “name” of the beast. They argue it replaces biblical monotheism (one God = the Father alone) with a “three-god” system of pagan origin. One detailed presentation links the Trinity directly to the “image of the beast” and the “mark,” claiming it was introduced as part of the beast’s deceptive power after the fall of pagan Rome.’’

 

Jas 3:1  Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we shall receive greater judgment. Gal 1:7,8 – 2 Cor 11:3,4  https://trinities.org/blog/   

 

Gen 35:9  And Elohim appeared to Ya‛aqoḇ again, when he came from Paddan Aram, and blessed him. 

Gen 35:10  And Elohim said to him, “Your name is Ya‛aqoḇ, your name is no longer called Ya‛aqoḇ, but Yisra’ěl is your name.” So He called his name Yisra’ěl. 

Gen 35:11  And Elohim said to him, “I am Ěl Shaddai. Be fruitful and increase, a nation and a company of nations shall be from you, and sovereigns come from your body. 

Gen 35:12  “And the land which I gave Aḇraham and Yitsḥaq I give to you. And to your seed after you I give this land.” 

Gen 35:13  And Elohim went up from him in the place where He had spoken with him. 

Gen 35:14  And Ya‛aqoḇ set up a standing column in the place where He had spoken with him, a monument of stone. And he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it. 

Gen 35:15  And Ya‛aqoḇ called the name of the place where Elohim spoke with him, Běyth Ěl. 

 

 

The Deaths of Rachel and Isaac

Gen 35:16  Then they set out from Běyth Ěl. And it came to be, when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, that Raḥěl began to give birth, and had great difficulty giving birth. 

Gen 35:17  And it came to be, as she was having great difficulty giving birth, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for it is another son for you.” 

Gen 35:18  And it came to be, as her life was going out – for she died – that she called his name Ben-Oni. But his father called him Binyamin. 

Gen 35:19  So Raḥěl died and was buried on the way to Ephrath, that is Běyth Leḥem. 

Gen 35:20  And Ya‛aqoḇ set a standing column on her burial-place, which is the monument of Raḥěl’s burial-place to this day. 

Gen 35:21  And Yisra’ěl set out and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Ěḏer. 

https://donnagawell.com/2020/12/17/away-in-a-manger-at-migdal-eder/

The primary (and most explicit) ancient Jewish source that connects Migdal Eder to the Messiah is the Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (also called Targum Yonatan ben Uzziel in some traditions), an Aramaic interpretive paraphrase of the Torah.

Its rendering of Genesis 35:21 reads approximately:

“And Jacob journeyed and spread his tent beyond the Tower of Eder, the place from whence the King Messiah is destined to be revealed at the end of days.”

This Targum expands the plain text with a future-oriented, eschatological interpretation. It identifies Migdal Eder (“Tower of the Flock”) as the future site of the revelation (or manifestation) of King Messiah in the end times.

 

Connection to Micah 4:8

Jewish tradition often links Genesis 35:21 with Micah 4:8:

“And you, O tower of the flock (Migdal Eder), hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it shall come, even the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.”

·         The Targum to Micah 4:8 interprets this verse messianically: “And you, O Messiah of Israel, who has been hidden because of the sins of the congregation of Zion, the kingdom shall come to you...”

·         The idea is that the hidden Messiah (a concept found in various midrashim) will be revealed from this symbolically significant “tower of the flock,” restoring the Davidic kingdom.

 

Migdal Eder was a real location near Bethlehem, on the road toward Jerusalem. The Mishnah (Shekalim 7:4 and related discussions in Kiddushin 55a) mentions flocks pastured in the area between Jerusalem and Migdal Eder as being suitable for Temple sacrifices. This led some (especially in Christian scholarship like Alfred Edersheim) to suggest these were special “Temple flocks” watched by Levitical-style shepherds — though the Mishnah itself does not explicitly call the shepherds “priestly.”

 

Gen 35:22  And it came to be, when Yisra’ěl dwelt in that land, that Re’uḇěn went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Yisra’ěl heard about it.

 

In ancient Near Eastern culture, taking a father’s wife or concubine was often a symbolic act of claiming leadership or declaring the father unfit or “dead” as head of the family/clan.

This is the same pattern seen when Absalom publicly lay with David’s concubines to legitimize his rebellion and claim the throne (2 Samuel 16:21-22).

While sexual desire may have played a role, most commentators argue it was not the primary driver. The act carried heavy political and relational weight beyond mere lust.

 

 Now the sons of Ya‛aqoḇ were twelve: 

Gen 35:23  the sons of Lě’ah were Re’uḇěn, Ya‛aqoḇ’s first-born, and Shim‛on, and Lěwi, and Yehuḏah, and Yissasḵar, and Zeḇulun; 

Gen 35:24  the sons of Raḥěl were Yosěph and Binyamin; 

Gen 35:25  the sons of Bilhah, Raḥěl’s female servant, were Dan and Naphtali; 

Gen 35:26  and the sons of Zilpah, Lě’ah’s female servant, were Gaḏ and Ashěr. These were the sons of Ya‛aqoḇ who were born to him in Paddan Aram. 

Gen 35:27  And Ya‛aqoḇ came to his father Yitsḥaq at Mamrě, or Qiryath Arba, that is Ḥeḇron, where Aḇraham and Yitsḥaq had dwelt. 

Gen 35:28  And the days of Yitsḥaq were one hundred and eighty years. 

Gen 35:29  So Yitsḥaq breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, aged and satisfied of days. And his sons Ěsaw and Ya‛aqoḇ buried him. 

 

Esau's Descendants

 

The genealogy of Esau (who is also called Edom). This chapter closes Esau’s story in the Torah before shifting focus entirely to Jacob’s line in Genesis 37 onward.

 

The sages note that genealogies of the “non-chosen” line (Ishmael in Gen. 25, Esau here) are given before the chosen line (Isaac then Jacob) to “clear the stage” and show that the covenant promise flows exclusively through Jacob/Israel.

 

·         Esau receives material blessings and becomes a great nation with kings and chiefs (fulfilling Isaac’s blessing in Gen. 27:39–40: “by your sword you shall live... when you grow restless you shall break his yoke”).

·         However, the detailed list highlights that Esau’s line, though numerous and powerful, is separate from the spiritual covenant line of Abraham → Isaac → Jacob.

·         It also explains future biblical conflicts: Edom (Esau’s descendants) becomes a recurring adversary to Israel (see Obadiah, Psalms 137, etc.). Some midrashim and later commentators (e.g., Lekach Tov) identify Edom symbolically with Rome and later oppressive empires.

·         The chapter demonstrates God’s faithfulness even to the “rejected” line — Esau prospers greatly in this world.

 

Jacob is the chosen line through which the Abrahamic covenant flows (land, descendants, blessing to all nations). YHVH protects him repeatedly from Laban, from Esau, from famine and renames him Israel ("he struggles with YHVH") after their wrestling match (Genesis 32).   This is not the story of a mere opportunist; it's a flawed man YHVH refuses to abandon.

 

Jacob is often painted as a villain. The scriptures give him a "bad wrap" yes! Jacob was flawed as all humans are, yet YHVH's favour and covenant rest on him, exactly as it did with Abraham and Isaac. He becomes the father of Israel, the meek tent-dweller who studies Torah and wrestles with YHVH and prevails by clinging to the promise. That's a powerful picture of YHVH’s favour upon his life, Jacob was not a shrewd opportunist – he was mentored by his grandfather – Abraham – one of the meekest men on earth and some scholars believe Jacob was not trying to take or claim something that was not his – Jacob had no self seeking agenda – Jacob would have been content right throughout his life looking after sheep, living in his tent and studying the Torah and digging wells.

 

The wrestling scene especially captures Jacobs life, he refuses to let go without a blessing. Was this blessing primarily for Jacob? or was this was a blessing for a nation of peoples?

 

Gen 25:27  And the boys grew up. And Ěsaw became a man knowing how to hunt, a man of the field, while Ya‛aqoḇ was a complete (Heb ‘’tam’’)man, dwelling in tents. 

 

‘’tâm’’ (תּם) complete, morally innocent, having integrity an ordinary, quiet sort of person – Strongs 8535

 

Complete men don’t steal and deceive. There isn’t a verse in the scriptures where YHVH directly says, “Jacob is a deceiver” or a ‘’thief’’ as a formal label.

 

Did Jacob deceive Esau by buying his birthright? (3min)

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jrOnuARGEFo

 

Isaiah 41:8-9 (ESV): "But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend..."

Isaiah 44:1-2 (NIV): "...do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen."

Psalm 135:4 (ESV): "For YHVH has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession."

Romans 9:10-13 (ESV): Mentions "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated" to explain YHVH's sovereign choice. 

 

Blessed are you YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of the Torah – Amein.

Additional midrash:

What’s the point? YHVH chooses a very special and precious people very close to His Heart on earth (‘’am segulah’’ – "peculiar treasure"  Ex 19:5/1 Pet 2:9)  it is a people a nation called Israel – called Jacob and YHVH will judge all mankind by the way they treat this nation He has chosen – this nation that is very precious to Him–but He has chosen them because He is YHVH and He has made up His mind to do so– the welfare of every nation and human being outside this chosen nation will be determined, judged or accepted by the way they treat this one nation – Israel.

Zec 2:8  For thus said יהוה of hosts (for the sake of esteem He sent me to the nations which plunder you): “For he who touches you touches the apple of My eye.a Footnote: a Deu_32:10.

However, this chosen nation has been very disobedient to Him.

For more in-depth study, you can explore the full text of Ezekiel 2-3, Isaiah 65:1-16, and Romans 10-11.

In Matthew 21:31-32, Jesus tells religious leaders (chief priests and elders) that "tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you" because they repented and believed John the Baptist, while the leaders did not. This indicates that humble repentance outweighs external religious appearance or even ethnicity – Joshua and Caleb!

Mat 21:28  “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ 

Mat 21:29  “And he answering, said, ‘I do not wish to,’ but afterwards he repented and went. 

Mat 21:30  “And having come to the second, he said similarly. And he answering, said, ‘I go, master,’ but he did not go. 

Mat 21:31  “Which of the two did the desire of the father?” They said to Him, “The first.” יהושע said to them, “Truly, I say to you that tax collectors and whores are entering into the reign of Elohim before you, 

Mat 21:32  for Yoḥanan came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but tax collectors and whores believed him. And when you saw it, you did not repent afterwards, to believe him. 

 

Ultimately only those grafted into Jacobs family will be called family and priests of the Most High Elohim.

 Jacob's Well

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srE_u9CmIso&t=9s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srE_u9CmIso