Parashat Tol'doth

(Genesis 25:19 - 28:9)

Avraham fathered Yitzhaq,

20. And when Yitzhaq was 40 years old he took Rivqah, the daughter of B'thuel the Aramaean from Paddan-Aram, the sister of Lavan the Aramaean, to himself as a wife.

40 years old: the same age Moshe was when he found his wife at a well. This is three years after Sarah died, and thus possibly seven (a complete cycle of) years after his “death”, possibly paralleling the final “week” of Daniel’s prophecy that falls between Messiah’s death and the time he takes His Bride, also called the “time of Yaaqov’s trouble”. The number 40 also signifies times of change and transition after completing a full cycle of testing. Paddan-Aram is as far as Avram had come with his father, but this indicates that those living here were also fulfilling to a lesser extent their calling as Hebrews, for they had crossed over from their original homeland.

She was childless for nearly twenty years of marriage (v. 26); only then did he ask. This barrenness is the same pattern by which YHWH worked with Avraham. These very important births, which were to carry on a lineage that went against the current of the downhill pattern of human trends, were not to be seen as accidental or even ordinary, but had to be seen as YHWH's direct intervention. Accepted his prayer: literally, "let Himself be entreated of him". Although YHWH is our "Abba" ("Daddy"), still He is also the King of the Universe. Yitzhaq did not just come and say, "Oh, by the way, I need something from you!" While He invites us to "draw near with boldness" (Heb. 4:16), there are proper ways and attitudes by which to approach Him, and these are taught extensively in the Temple ceremonies and in the scepter extended to Queen Hadassah (Esther). Yet though Rivqah was barren for nearly 20 years, there is none of the drama Avraham and Sarah had to go through. He had learned his father’s lessons without having to waste the energy by refusing to learn from another’s experiences. At this time, he fully embraced Rivqah as his wife, and YHWH had just been waiting for him to ask for descendants. When he did, He gave them with no fanfare—though now that she had conceived, there was a new conflict to deal with:

If so...?: "If my prayer has indeed been answered…”; Aramaic, “If this is how it is to bear children, what do I need this for?” Went: to enquire of a seer who could answer on YHWH’s behalf (as per 1 Shm. 9:9-10) Targum Neofiti says it was Shem/Melchitzedeq in Yerushalayim, who knew YHWH’s word in the form it was revealed at this time.

Peoples: nations or regimes. Stronger: or superior, increased more greatly. Again, the pattern continues: the one older in years (or minutes, in this case) will not take precedence, for the people of the younger are not to have the advantage by worldly standards, in order to show that they prevail by YHWH's deliberate intervention alone.

Twins: the Hebrew word (Tha'om, on which the name Thomas is based) means joined, opposite, coupled, fitting together, or matching. The two seem to be opposite indeed, but in a way their two personalities comprise the entirety of human experience—the right and left hand, the inclinations to right and wrong, one to be emulated, one from whom to learn what not to be like. Like Yitzhaq and Yishmael, one is the child of promise (symbolizing the promise of the Torah being written on our hearts), and the other is a child of slavery (to the flesh).

His name is similar to esah: "shaggy"; it may also mean "his handling" or "his production". Seir--the mountain range he would inherit--means anything rough and hairy, but especially a mountain goat of the type later used for Temple sacrifice. (The two goats of Atonement were to look as similar as possible--like twins--yet one was "for YHWH" and the other "for Azazel" or banishment.) "Ruddy" is from"red", suggesting that he was all covered with blood at birth, foreshadowing the kind of man he would be. David, also called ruddy, was "a man of blood" and thus could not be the one to build the Temple. Disheveled fur coat: hairy garment, or even "a dreadful, storming luxuriant cloak of majesty". Yaaqov later feared him and saw him as one of the elohim (ch. 32, 33). Contrast haSatan as described in Yeshayahu/Isa. 14 and Y'chezq'el/Ezek. 28, with the perfect (cf. v. 27) yet unimpressive Yahshua (Yeshay. 53:2). But the term for this coat (aderet) is used elsewhere of the mantle of Eliyahu which he passed on to Elisha, signifying that he was the next prophet to take his place. (1 Kings 19:19; compare 2 Kings 1:8) Zekharyah 13:4 speaks of prophets wearing an aderet of coarse hair (se’ar, related to Se’ir). Yochanan the Immerser wore a hairy garment (Markus 1:6). Thus if one wore a hairy cloak, he was perceived to be a prophet. Esau was born with the sign of the prophetic gift right on his body. So why did he not become a prophet? His life will answer this question, beginning even in this chapter.

He was named: or, He named him. Yaaqov: "He will take by the heel"; one who stealthily takes another's place; a supplanter or circumventor. Even while still in the womb, he wanted the hairy garment, and though he could not come first, part of him came out with the firstborn. That Yaaqov was a "heel-holder" also relates to the prophecy in 3:15 that the Messiah's heel would be bruised. He indeed got around his disadvantages and displaced his brother. But chiefly, by continuing the Messiah's ancestral line, he displaced the “nearer kinsman” (as in the book of Ruth) who stood in the way of the redemption of mankind. The fact that they are twins reminds usof the Messiah, called the "Lion of the Tribe of Yehudah", and Satan, the "predecessor" whom He supplanted, also called a Lion who prowls about seeking someone to devour. The flesh is manifested first in our lives (though we are innocent until accountable), yet from the beginning the better struggles for preeminence (v. 26), though the spirit starts off as much weaker. (v. 23) Both flesh and spirit are, of course, worked out in the physical realm; we cannot give lip service to what is best but not carry it out, and still say we are spiritual. Yahshua’s flesh was not evil, and he was able to give it as “food” for the world. (Yochanan 6:48-58) Yet as flesh alone it would be of no benefit; it was the spirit that enlivened his flesh that counted. (6:63) The question is whether it is the flesh or spirit that rules, and which we intend to become. Paul carries this analogy much further in Romans 7, where we see both of these twins at work in ourselves. We have the inclination to do right; the inward man delights in keeping the Torah, which is equated in 7:14 with what it means to be spiritual. But the inclination to evil is stronger, and requires grace (added empowerment from outside, in this case, Yahshua’s own merit) to boost us far enough to accomplish what our flesh, weighed down by sin, cannot succeed in doing. When we die to self, we empower the “Yaaqov” in us; thus Paul can say that the vestigial manifestations of “Esau” in him are not his true self. “Esau” is always there, and we have a relationship to both sides, but if we have attached ourselves to Israel (the spiritual side of Yaaqov), we do not belong to Esau, and he can no longer enslave us, because we are “dead” to him (to sin/the flesh) and alive to Yaaqov/Israel/Messiah/YHWH. 60 years old: Thus his twin sons were 15 years old when Avraham died.

Knew hunting: was very adept at the chase, like an aggressive businessman in modern terms—a prudent investor and an opportunist, which made him successful in a way, which his father admired. He brought a type of security to the family. He may have even used his prophetic gift to that end. Yet to become so skillful, he had to concentrate on "earning" rather than "learning"--which when taken too far pits YHWH against mammon (wealth). That he had tis three wives demonstrates his prowess at another type of "pursuit". As a "man of the field" (or, as Yahshua interpreted it, a "man of the world", Mat. 13:38), he shows that he sought his security in the present world. Esau had an obsession with killing. Yaaqov, however, was "wholesome": peaceful, simple, mature, and therefore complete, lacking in nothing, a well-rounded man of integrity--despite his name. Though he was only one of the pair that had to be joined to be complete, he is somehow still complete in himself, for he has made the right choice. (Mat. 6:33) His perfection is that he was longing for the fullness of the path of YHWH and would do whatever was necessary to obtain it. "Dwelling in tents" is often an idiom for one who is a student of YHWH's instruction. (Num. 24:5) The first use of the term speaks of the tents of Shem. (9:27) After Avraham, possibly his first teacher, died, Yaaqov would still have Avraham’s students to surround himself with as counselors. Israel Koschitzky writes, "Our Sages say that the Torah -- not the actual document, but the substance of the Commandments and the attachment to the Divine -- was revealed by [Elohim] to our forefathers. Shem the son of Noah, and Ever his great-grandson, even opened a Yeshiva (“seminary”), and Yaaqov went to study there! And they took upon themselves to perform the Commandments, even though they were not obligated by [Elohim] to do so." Since Shem (whom many identify with Melchitzedeq) lived until Yaaqov was 35 years old (thus outliving Avraham by 20 years), this tradition could be true. Our high priest, after the order of Melchitzedeq, is in the tent. (Hebrews 8) A tent-dweller puts less value on his possessions, for he has to pack them up and leave more often. He is not attached to one place, but moves when the source of food moves, a picture of the pillar of fire in the wilderness which his descendants would follow. Tent-dwellers do not depend on hunting, but raise their own flocks (also making kosher preparation). Living in tents is also the wartime lifestyle. Yaaqov also had his evil side, but by such study he would learn how to subdue it and make it subservient to him, like the “unrighteous mammon” of Lukas 16:11.

In his mouth: i.e., he had something to show for it (as opposed to Yaaqov's more abstract interests), or he had a "taste" for game. Prefers (literally, loves): The present tense in Hebrew highlights the eternal value of her love, compared to Yitzhaq's, which was based on his liking for what Esau could do for him. Though Rivqah’s name means “ensnarer”, which would seem to align with Esau’s profession, she was a Hebrew, having crossed over like Avraham. She has moved into Sarah’s tent, so she is now equated with the Torah. She was also forearmed by the prophecy that the elder would serve the younger, and she will use her ensnaring ability to ensure that. But the women in this family tend to see the truth more readily than the men. Her husband, symbol of Yahshua, has now, however, become “Jesus” instead--the Hellenized Messiah whose focus has shifted to what is advantageous in the present age (through prosperity doctrine, etc.). He has come to see the feeding as the better side. (Contrast the true Yahshua’s words in Yochanan 6:26-27)

30. And Esau said to Yaaqov, "Please let me have a gulp of the red—this red stuff—because I'm about to collapse from hunger!" On account of this his name is called Edom ["red"].

“Gulp" here means “guzzle” or "gorge down and devour like an animal". It can even be translated "pour that red stuff into me!" He was not a refined man at all, and even asked for his brother’s assistance in eating it. (Compare Prov. 19:24; 26:15) He has meat, but it is not prepared, much like the five foolish virgins. (Mat. 25) He mentioned its redness twice; though finished hunting, he is still "seeing red", focusing on something resembling blood—and himself! Like his father in v. 28, his focus is on his belly. (See Philippians 3:19 and v. 34 below.) Even if he has caught something that day, he does not want to wait until it is skinned and prepared, but wants instant gratification.

Yaaqov, being “complete”, also knew how to lie in wait as a hunter, but only did this when it was appropriate and necessary. The birthright was the firstborn's right to a favored position and a double portion of co-heirs' inheritence (which gave him the responsibility to rescue his siblings from any type of need). By later law a father could not give it to a younger son, but one could forfeit it by his actions, as Yaaqov's son Reuven did (48:16; 49:4). Rav Michael Hattin comments, "An ancient tradition suggests that the birthright was initially associated with the special role of serving and ministering to [Elohim]: ... Before the construction of the Tabernacle ...the firstborn served as priests. After the building of the Tabernacle, the high places were forbidden, and the service was limited to only the Kohanim [Levitical priests]." B’reyshith Rabbah 63:33). In other words, being the firstborn in ancient Israel meant aspiring to a special life of connectedness to [Elohim]. In this context, living by the terms of the birthright meant being prepared to continue the spiritual legacy of Avraham and Sarah. That being the case, it seems hardly a vocation for a savage hunter whose greatest pleasures are temporal, corporeal, and sanguinary...It is possible to interpret Yaaqov's conduct here as his means of testing Esav's resolve." Israel Koschitzky surmises, "Yaaqov said to himself, ‘This wicked person isn't fit to offer sacrifices to the Holy One.' ...He realized that his older brother was unable to fulfill the obligation on behalf of Yitzhaq's children, and was therefore motivated to take it upon himself in order to ensure that it was done properly." On a larger scale, Adam, the older brother, forfeited his right to the earth, so Yahshua stepped in and became the "firstborn" instead. "As of today": or "as it is today”, i.e., there was no physical inheritance yet, but Esau was the priest-in-training, and this is what Yaaqov wanted, since his brother was not fulfilling this role well. He was buying the right to be the type of servant he knew the family needed. On the natural level this required a lowering in position, but on the spiritual level it is by far the more profitable.

Again Esau's mind is on death. He was not starving (v. 34); rather, he is thinking of how the birthright means he must die to himself. The priests (who were taken in place of the firstborn) became the servants of all Israe, having no inheritance of their own. Esau prefers worldly advantage; to him, the birthright makes no sense, and is only a burden. If he can dispense with it, he thinks he will be free to follow his own pursuits. To him, “Life is short, and I want to live it up.” He was tired of hearing Yaaqov say, “If I had that birthright, I wouldn’t waste it as you do!” He is not literally starving, but he sees nothing beyond his life. As a prophet he may even foresee his falling away.

Yaaqov knows he may change his mind once he has a full stomach. The desire for the prophetic gift outweighed even the original gifting. Yaaqov was not naturally gifted to bring YHWH’s word; his brother was, but he was running from it, and does not care about the path. While others might seek but cannot find because YHWH has not chosen them to be vessels of mercy, in Esau’s case the calling was present, but he was not answering it. So much was given to him, but he saw little value in it. Knowing that someone needs to do this rightly, Yaaqov wants the job whether it comes naturally to him or not. Though people tended to cling to Yaaqov because of the blessings he brought them, people tend to get fed up with those who study, especially if he kept reminding his brother of the prophetic gift he was supposed to be using but was not. People cannot stand those who are right when they are wrong.

Yaaqov gave Esau bread so his decision would not be made under duress, thus making it a legal transaction and a test of what was really in his heart. Bread is also symbolic of community, and was so important that although his descendants had other (even luxurious) types of food, when they lacked bread, they had to risk a dangerous journey to find grain (ch. 43). So Yaaqov offers him "spiritual food" (Yoch. 4:32-34) in an attempt to get his focus back where it belonged. But after eating this bread, he was still hungry. Yaaqov, in contrast, hungers for YHWH’s word. (Compare Prov. 13:25ff: "The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul/appetite, but the belly of the wicked will be in want." Even in his eating, the righteous person is learning, for the kosher laws teach him what kind of person to be. Here, "belly" is singular, but "wicked" is plural, implying that there is only one belly for all the wicked. A clean animal that chews the cud has multiple stomachs, while a swine only has one. A healthy community requires having the milk and meat of the word filtered through the minds of all its members so they can all have a complete perspective. Philippians 3:15ff tells us that the "perfect"--as Yaaqov was called in v. 27--should all have the same mind rather than letting our belly be our god and setting our mind on the "things upon the earth". In Hebrew, “belly" can indeed mean the seat of mental faculties, or what one's mind is on, or a womb--the place of ultimate security, which is the god of the wicked. Do you hunger only for your own security, or the knowledge that can only be found in the tents of the righteous?) Lentil stew: Typically the food of mourning, because round things are eaten at such times to remind us tha the cycle of birth and death will come back around in the resurrection. Rabbinic tradition says he was preparing the meal at Avraham’s death. Despised: treated with comtempt, Rashi suggests that this does not mean he was always lustful, but that he is confident that natural abilities are enough to right the world's wrongs, and that looking outside the natural order (to YHWH, as Yaaqov did) is an ephemeral waste of time. Targum Neofiti says he thus denied the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. He was a big, burly man, and could easily have wrestled the food away from his brother, but the right of primogeniture meant nothing to him--as many reject YHWH's other gifts, like the Torah, His festivals, and the Sabbath (Mark 2:27; Hoshea 8:12). But they cannot say they have not been offered real food. If they will not come to the banquet, the best will go to the blind and lame and whomever can be found to accept it. (Mat. 22:10; Luk. 14:23)

CHAPTER 26

Famine: Felt most strongly when there was no bread. (42:1-2) Other fruits were seasonal, and might have still grown to some extent during a famine (43:11), but grain was the staple, stored for use year-round. Many events in Scripture were spuured on by famines, as we will see later in this book; Ruth, the ancestress of King David was enabled to join Israel initially due to a famine. Yeshayahu, Yirmeyahu, Y’hezq’el, and Amos all prophesy about families. But King Shlomo tells us their main purpose in his dedicatory prayer for the Temple. (1 Kings 8:37ff) It is to make us recognize the plague that is in our hearts, so that we will examine them and see where we are lacking. I.e., they only come when there is a lesson we need to learn from them. In fact, the word here for “former” (referring back to 12:10) is literally “first”, suggesting that there had never been a famine in that Land until YHWH had a particular lesson for Avram to learn through it. The famine is to make us seek YHWH so He can reveal to us what we need to do about it. This seems to be a flashback to the 20 silent years in the last chapter, since Yitzhaq’s twin sons are not mentioned in this account. But Moshe probably places it right here because we just saw Esau as famished, though he was adept at the hunt and ate constantly. What caused his starvation was in his spiritual condition. His brother made relationship with YHWH the priority, so he was well-fed. Avraham died sated, not lacking in YHWH’s words or the experience of them in his life, but Esau was never full, because he did not seek YHWH in the tents, but only sought His provision in the field. If we are only looking to YHWH for what He can do for us, we will starve to death. Esau despised the covenant, because he was about himself, not about his people. His job had been to establish the covenant, but he rejected it. His only thoughts were about how hungry he was; he could not grasp that it was about “us”, for self blinded him. That is the famine. He did die, in a way, because his line would not carry the chosen seed. This can apply to so many pursuits today. The difference between ra’av (famine) and rav (abundance) is one letter: ayin. The word ayin means an eye. The eye is a Hebrew idiom for how generous one is, as seen in Yahshua’s statements about the evil eye and the sound eye. (Mat. 6:22-23) Those who have the most can be in the worst condition. In 25:23, we were told that the elder twin would serve the younger. But the word for elder is rav and the word for younger is tsa’ir, which means insignificant. Esau—the one who was most skilled—was serving what was least important, and his ayin therefore made the rav into ra’av. But even if one has little, if he is about the community, he will flourish. Bread is symbolic of community. (1 Qorinthians 10:17) The difference between starving and being well-fed is how well we care for one another. YHWH uses the places of need to move us to where we need to be. Amos 8:11ff speaks of a famine of hearing the words of YHWH. It is not that His words are lacking; most homes today have more Bibles than people in them. But most cannot hear what the words are saying, because they are not where they should be and because they are listening the wrong way. If we put His words in a modern, Greek-based context, we will “starve”. They are not written for a Western mindset, but a Hebraic one. It makes no sense to the Greek mind that a bad eye is the cause for being unable to hear! But even then it must still not be from our own point of view, but what is in our hearts is the real famine. The solution Shlomo gives is to fear YHWH in the Land given to our ancestors. Those of us who are not from the House of Yehudah cannot even live in the Land yet. Part of getting there is overcoming this famine of hearing. We must return to the covenant with Avraham before we can go home. When seeking Him only through later, additional covenants—the Renewed Covenant and even the Torah—we will not understand fully. The covenant is not meant to be understood as individuals; each of us is only part of Israel. Filistines: sea peoples from Kaftor in the Greek isles (probably Kriti) who settled on the coast of Kanaan after being defeated by the Egyptians in a sea battle. Their name means “immigrants”, since they were indeed outsiders. Gerar: Tel Garor today, halfway between coastal‘Azzah (Gaza) and Be’ersheva.

Coming from Hevron, Gerar is on the way to Egypt, but is still in Kanaan. By coming here, he was following in his father’s footsteps, but in this case YHWH did not want him to do so. Avraham had not wanted him to leave the Land to go back to where he had come from. (24:6) Egypt is where Hagar had become joined to the family of Avraham. Yitzhaq did not need to repeat the same errors that had come from this. Avraham had gone there because he was worried, but no matter how difficult things get, YHWH does not want us going back to that, for it is the way of our past, from which we have ascended already. Now YHWH tells him simply not to leave the Land at all:

"Do not go down...stay": Here Yitzhaq is expressly commanded to never leave the Land of Israel, just as the high priests would later essentially never be able to leave the tabernacle compound since he had constant responsibilities there. Since he has become an ascending offering, he is not permitted to descend out of the Land. The word for “ascending offering” can also mean a stairway. The stairway Yaaqov would later see, which he called the house of Elohim, was in this Land and no other. Since Yitzhaq is a picture of Yahshua, this command reminds us that we can never take Yahshua out of the Hebraic context, or His message will no longer be about ascending to YHWH. The book of Ruth begins with another famine that took Naomi’s family out of the Land in the days of the judges, which the book of Judges tells us repeatedly was a time when there was no king in the Land and everyone did what was right in his own eyes. The Hebrew word for famine means “a hungry time”, and indeed when Yahshua is no longer seen as a king but as a whipping-boy or a candy-man, the sheep may like what they eat, but they will still be hungry.

5. "because Avraham listened to my voice and observed the obligation I gave him: My commands, My prescribed customs, and My instructions."

Thus YHWH's promise narrows down to Yitzhaq's line. Instructions: the plural form of Torah. The promise continues because of Avraham, not Yitzhaq, because the latter was not living such an exemplary life. King Shlomo's reign was extended for his father's sake, though his own actions deserved worse (1 Kings 11:12). But these promises are also contingent on his obeying that one command to remain in the Land. Yahshua expounded on these first five verses in Yochanan 8:31-43. Those who continue in his word will know the truth; he said there were others in whom his words had found no place. Though they were Avraham’s seed (like Esau), they could not understand what he said because they could not hear his words. They were suffering from the famine Amos wrote about. Even the very learned were not doing the deeds of Avraham, because they did not love their neighbors. Each one wanted his voice to be heard above all the others. This is why the rabbis say the Temple was destroyed. Rather than submittiung to the teacher YHWH had sent, they tried to defend themselves. They left the Word of YHWH for their own perspective, and therefore were truly enslaved—as if they were back in Egypt, where Yitzhaq was not to go.

As we have seen, Gerar means “chewing the cud”, a picture of turning YHWH’s word over and over in our minds to come to deeper than surface understandings. Figuratively, that is where Yitzhaq remained.

Rivqah had moved into Sarah’s tent, so she has become in her generation the symbol of the Torah as Sarah was. In the last chapter we saw Yitzhaq descend into representing “Jesus”, not Yahshua, and the former does deny being intimate with the Torah. Naturally, if no one claims her as their own, others will be attracted to her, though she is off-limits to those outside the covenant. So he had to learn the same lesson his father had. This is another reason to surmise that this is a flashback, for that was a milestone that had to be reached before the son of promise could be born. May the next generation find it more natural to embrace the Torah openly than we did at first.

Long days: separated from his wife, they would indeed seem that way. Playing with: teasing, possibly caressing--something he obviously would not do to a mere sister. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan has “fondling”, but the word is simply based on Yitzhaq's name, laughter. He was joking in a very familiar manner such as he could only do to a wife. Avimelekh means "my father is king" or “father of a king”, possibly a title implying a dynasty like "Pharaoh", as Avimelekh was also the name of the king Avraham had visited two generations before.

He could not hide who she really was for very long. Yitzhaq did not havet he excuse Avraham had had, for though she was his cousin, she was not his sister. Keeping Torah does require that we die to self. But if we preach a “Jesus” that denies the Torah, we will be caught in our own words which conflict with His (“If you love Me, keep My commandments”), pagans will think they can advantage of his bride (congregation) for their own purposes, and all nations will not be blessed by (or grafted into) Yitzhaq’s seed.

If he had waited much longer, she would not have been his wife anymore. The targums say that though he did not refer to himself directly, this “one” of the people was actually the king, since Rivqah too was royalty already.

Or, die for sure; literally, "dying shall die"--a typical method of intensifying a word in Hebrew. Touches: i.e., molests. So while there is some grief to go through when acknowledging our intimacy with the Torah, it will actually bring us under YHWH’s special protection. Anyone who challenges us will have to answer to Him. When married to Yahshua, the Torah is not a source of curse, but of blessing. Even Paul, who is often misconstrued as being anti-Torah, says it is holy and righteous and good. (Rom. 7:12)

13. And the man increased, and kept advancing forward until he had become very great.

14. He also had possessions—flocks and herds, and many slaves, and the Filistines began to envy him.

Those who were under the “father of the king” hated the one under his protection, but had no right to do anything about it. Those who today call themselves Filistines are also outsiders who only fought over the Land after Yitzhaq's descendants came and made it prosper. (The Palestinians' name is based on “Filistine”, because Rome named the Land Palestinium in their honor to blot out the memory of Judea. Thus anyone who calls the Land Palestine today is giving more credence to the Filistines than to Israel, the heirs to the Land named by YHWH.)

Stopped up: Heb., closed up or made secret. They kept all the clarifications Avraham had provided from anyone’s sight. The ways of the world bring not only famine but thirst. Dust: or rubble, but the root word means “gray”. Filistines means “immigrants’. This symbolizes the outsiders (Gentiles) who muddied YHWH’s word with a mixture that can make Israel cease to exist, because things are no longer black and white as they are in Torah. They claim everyone is “God’s child”. Being the shepherds (pastors) of Y’hezq’el 34:17 who drink the clear water then muddy it with their feet (a term also used for YHWH’s festivals in Ex. 23:13), they have clogged up the clear interpretation of the Torah by mandating the celebration of their own holidays--Easter rather than Passover, and forbidding any practice that would make the church resemble the Jews in any way—to the point that people consider the Torah dangerous, because they have never seen pure water. But if we are seeking to have YHWH reveal our hearts as Shlomo said, we will drink it—and thrive. The “Filistines” (Palestinians) today have also taken over the Temple Mount, Yoseyf's tomb, Rachel's tomb, and Beyth Lechem--all the main "wellsprings" of life for Israel.

Stronger: literally, more tightly bound together. Those who say we are “bound” by the Torah still respect our observance, for it does make us a formidable community. But this scenario has been repeated over and over in history—with Lot, Pharaoh, in Spain, Russia, and under the Nazis, and to a lesser degree, today in France and even among Israel’s allies. The truth is too strong for most people. When all we do is teach, they can tolerate us. But when their ears are no longer tickled, and we require true hearing--when we expect them to give up their Saturdays —they start getting nervous!

Gerar’s seasonal streambed is known as Wadi al-Jerar in Arabic today. A seasonal streambed seems like a dangerous place to put one’s tent, and seems rather dry on the surface to others, but this shows that his main pursuit was water (as the seasonal stream would leave substantial ground water), and was willing to take the risks that came with it. This low ground symbolizes his humility. But the term for seasonal streambed is also the word for inheritance (what “flows down”). So the heritage he sought was meditation on YHWH’s word. Notice that although he was not to leave the Land, he still did not build a house, for a tent symbolizes following the water and remaining a sojourner. He also would be able to move it out of the riverbed when the rainy season came!

In Hebrew, “well” is based on the word for making the deeper meaning plain and accessible. Dug: the Hebrew word means to pry into or search. While we can erase all traces of something built above ground, a well affects the ground itself and can be found again when sought, though covered over. He did not just wait for the rain to bring water to the wadi (arroyo); he worked hard to find it even out of season, for at the bottom of our inheritance we know there is always living water. Same names: After he saw that admitting intimacy with his wife would not lead to death, he found himself in agreement with his father. Today we are going back to getting the water (Torah) the way it used to be reached--through its Hebraic context. And we are finding that we say the same things David did so long ago: “YHWH’s words are great riches and a cause for extreme joy and delight!” (Psalm 119) The returned tribes of Israel are ordained to "rebuild the ancient cities and inhabit them." (Amos 9:14; compare Numbers 21:17.)

Live aquifer: literally a source of living/running/flowing water. This was a new well (one his father had not dug); in a similar way, YHWH is fulfilling the promise to Daniel that in the last days knowledge would increase. New revelation, never heard before, is being provided. But they did not seek it at random: where a river once had been, there was likely to be water below. Similarly, we are told to go back to the ancient, well-worn paths (like this former water-path) to find settledness for our souls (Yirmeyahu/Jer. 6:16). As we seek YHWH's original ways, today's unique needs will be met, while if we look outside His parameters, we will come up dry. Proverbs 25:2 tells us it is the prerogative of kings to penetrate, examine, and reveal the deeper meanings of a concealed word; where there is no king, there is famine. (See v. 3.) But once they dug, they found more than they had anticipated: not just stored-up ground water, but flowing water! What appeared only seasonal actually turned out to have water flowing there all the time. The Torah is not just something historical—from a past dispensation--but something current, once we bother to dig it out. Like the chicken that at first appears to be eating its own dung, but is actually finding undigested nutrition among what had been cast away, when we get beneath the surface of what seemed to be “just for them back then”, the thirst of YHWH’s sheep is truly quenched.

They did not argue with him until after the well was re-dug. Since the root meaning is “meditating” [garar], and these are people who already live in (and own) the Land, these particular shepherds may be a picture of the Orthodox Jews who had taught us to look deeper into the Torah, but once we started becoming adept at it, claimed that they’d already seen these things and ask what these “Goyim” are doing digging in their Torah. They do not trust us to care for what they have inherited. On another level, Israel's aquifers are also what the Palestinians want to take over today, since they have the high ground in many places.

Sitnah: "animosity", "hostility", or "obstruction". Every time he found something valuable, it was either being stolen or covered up (as in the case of his father's wells). So he tells them to keep their water, since contention is not what he is about. They can argue all they want; he will ignore them and move on to the next level.

They dug in a place apparently no one else was interested in this time. We may have several wells to dig before we can have unity with Yehudah, but it is worth the digging. Rechovoth means "Wide open spaces". He finally had plenty of room. Rather than participating in men's bickering, Yitzhaq said, in essence, "We can dig more wells, and wide enough to accommodate anyone who still needs water." YHWH says that eventually Yehudah will no longer be able to claim they had found the water before Efrayim. (Yeshayahu 48:1)

24. and YHWH appeared to him that same night, and said, "I am the Elohim of your father Avraham. Do not be afraid, because I am with you, and I will bless you and increase your descendants, for the sake of My servant Avraham."

As soon as he moved on to the place meaning “clarifying of the oath/seven/completeness” (symbolizing a fuller understanding of the promise to graft all nations into his descendants, the deeper meaning of the Sabbath, and how YHWH is all in all), YHWH comes to him and tells him He is not against him—so how can anyone else defeat him? (Compare Romans 8)

Left: Yitzhaq's well, still at Be'er-sheva. Digging it involved cutting through 5 meters (16 feet) of solid rock. The water level is about 11 meters (35 feet) below the surface. Even though he had found plenty, he knew it was still not time to build a house, because he knew he would ascend again, for there are many steps up to YHWH’s house. But his students were still with him, and they made up his true “house” (household). Once he had pitched his tent and started teaching, they were able to do what he had been doing. They, too, could now bring clarity to YHWH’s words. He is serving not only as a teacher, but a priest, being the true firstborn son. A priest acts not for self but as a mediator. The sons of Eli (in the opening chapters of 1 Shmu’el) show the result of using the priestly role for selfish ends. Dug: The Hebrew word implies it was with little effort (compared to the word in vv. 18, 21 which means "searched out or dug for). But it was probably less of an effort because his father had dug the well there already. It must have been filled in as the others had been. Though it had already been named, Yitzhaq names it again. This links us to a prophecy given specifically for the nation of Israel as we know it today: "O house of Yaaqov, who are called by the name Israel, and have come out from Yehudah's waters...I made you hear new things as of right now--hidden things, and you did not recognize them. They are created now, and not from [when I foretold them long ago]; yet [I promised them] before today, but you did not hear them, lest you should say, ‘Oh, I knew that!'...I will not give My glory to another" (Yeshayahu 48:1-11) The new moon celebration has been Yehudah’s since Sinai, yet scarcely anyone has practiced it for centuries; it is the same with the blue thread in the garment-fringe. Now that these and other practices are being restored and adopted by the House of Yoseyf, can Yehudah really claim to have always had them? Yitzhaq's well is still at the Tel of Sheva today, and it is extremely deep. In fact, these wells were important for British General Allenby in 1917. An Arab prophecy had said the holy city would be liberated from the Turks "only when a prophet of Allah brought the waters of the Nile to Palestine." Allenby did build a pipeline across the Sinai, but it could only provide water for his troops as far as Be'ersheva. Therefore, his strategy for taking Yerushalayim depended on taking Be'ersheva before the Arabs had time to fill up there wells again. This he did, and, not wanting to have a battle in a holy place, he sent airplanes to drop leaflets over Yerushalayim that said, "Now is the time for you to leave Yerushalayim. --Allenby." In Arabic, his name had to be written as "Allah-nabi"--Allah's prophet! Thus the city was therefore surrendered without a fight--and on the first day of Hanukkah, the feast commemorating the liberation of Yerushalayim under the Maccabees!

One of his companions: Achuzzath is from the word “possession”, so this may have been the treasurer in his administration, brought along as another witness to the covenant he was about to make.

Compare Yochanan the Immerser’s words to the religious leaders of Yerushalayim, who had driven him from his rightful position. (Many believe he should have been the legitimate high priest.) If we return to the analogy in which Yitzhaq represented Yahshua, the one whose father is a king could refer to the tribe of Yehudah, which bears the right to the throne of David. One day they will yet approach Yahshua, the one they rejected and "sent" to the Gentiles, make peace with him, and thus be safe by means of a covenant.

This is the same thing Avraham had done in chapter 21, at the very same place. He knew the name of YHWH since He had appeared to the earlier Avimelekh. Filistine ruins have in fact been found that bear the name of YHWH. But in asking us to leave, they had lost any advantage they had from our being there, for we took with us the things they envied. (Compare Lukas 19:26) Targum Pseudo-Jonathan even says that all the wells of the Gerarites had gonbe dry after they drove Yitzhaq away! So they realized they had nothing without him. Once those who hear the call back to Israel act on it, the church will find that all of those who brought clarity to the Scriptures are gone from it, and that they have nothing of value left. Since they came to where he had pitched his tent, this suggests that they came to be his students, and wanted more than just peaceful coexistence with him, as Lavan would later do with Yaaqov. He was essentially saying, “Our Land is yours as well; go anywhere you want to.” Since this people had earlier been described as a “righteous nation”, and the only other placethis phrase is used (Yeshayahu 26:2) is interpreted to refer to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. So this verse is echoed by the prophecy that ten men from every nation will join themselves to Yehudah, saying, “We have heard that Elohim is with you.” (Zkh. 8:23) This is prophetic of the reunification of the two peoples who call on YHWH.

30. So he made a feast for them, and they ate and drank.

Though they actually did "touch" him, as with Yoseyf, YHWH meant it for the best, and all their differences seem as nothing in the end--when they really look into the Scriptures (cf. Zech. 12:10). This feast for three men parallels and may fill in some gaps in understanding the three men who visited Avraham (chapter 17).

32. And it was on that day that Yitzhaq's slaves came and told him about the well that they had dug, saying, "We've found water!"

33. So he called it Shiv'ah; thus the city's name remains Be'er-Sheva to this day.

And still it does! Shiv'ah: meaning both "oath" and "seven", a confirmation of what his father named (21:31). Apparently it had been called something else in the meantime--much like the Torah, which was maligned for many centuries but is now being again recognized for what it really was--valuable instruction. Knowing what our ancestors did is not enough; we must do them too. Thus we are again using the original names: Yahshua instead of Jesus, Elohim instead of “God”, Messiah instead of Christ. He renewed a covenant made by his father, as Yahshua did. Yitzhaq has now also come back in line with his father’s actions, symbolizing the fact that after a long time of being known as “Jesus”, Yahshua is now being put back into His original context. He did not call the place “Be’er Yitzhaq” after himself, but used the name the one who had originally dug it had used. Therefore, we no longer call ourselves Christians, for the Son came to point our focus toward the Father, and He called us Israel. Thus we can expect the treatment that He promised to Israel, since we are no longer strangers to the covenant. (Eph. 2:12, 19)

Y’hudith means “praise”. Bas'math means "spice" or "perfume of the balsam tree”. Be'eri means "my well". Eylon means a mighty tree. These names sound like things that would make his parents glad. Praise. Yitzhaq had spent his whole life digging wells. Avraham preferred to camp under big trees. Bas’math is called Yishma’el’s daughter in chapter 36, so she was even a descendantr of Avraham. But Proverbs 14:11ff, which tells us that the way that seems right leads to death and has many parallels to this chapter (compare Prov. 16:22ff), also tells us that the simple believe every word. These women were not what their names made them seem. “My well” actually would remind Yitzhaq of the strife at Eseq. (v. 20) A mighty tree was also a common place for pagan rites. Esau was religious, but not righteous. He made too many decisions in ignorance when teaching was readily available to him. Beeri, whose wife's name was apparently Anah, which means "answer") is called a "Hivvite" in 36:2; Chittite is a general term (related to the word for "terror") for any descendant of the second son of Cham; Hivvite is a more particular genealogical one.

We do not know whether his parents yet knew about Esau’s selling his birthright to Yaaqov. They may have still expected him to fulfill the priestly role, and thus were terribly disappointed when he went after pagans instead of marrying Leah in the pattern of the two previous patriarchs. They expected another Yishmael-like situation to result. In chapter 36 Yehudith is called Oholibamah, which means "my tent is a cultic platform". Since a tent is symbolic of religious learning, by marrying a woman with this name (even though she was a "praiser", or apparently religious), Esau espoused pagan worship. This might be analogous to marrying someone who speaks in terms of "the good Lord", without specifying His Name, thus leaving things ambiguous enough to get what one wants. ("See, Mom and Dad? She's religious like you!") But Yitzhaq and Rivqah saw through it. Targum Onqelos tells us that they were rebellious and agitated against Yitzhaq and Rivqah’s authority. Bitterness of spirit: or bitter wind; the one whose name meant spicy perfume was really a foul odor. This is what prompted Rachel’s next actions:

CHAPTER 27

Old: Not as many details are given about the events his life than about his father’s or his son’s. Of course, what took place on Mount Moryah was vivid enough for an entire lifetime. In fact, Targum Pseudo-Jonathan says that it was because he looked on the throne of glory when there, his eyes began to grow dimmer from that time on, much as one who stares directly at the sun will be blinded. Yitzhaq forms a link back to Avraham for his sons, and we must be the same for our children. We, too, need to uncover the wells—restore clarification to the Torah—for the next generation so its sweet water can continue to flow. Eyes had become too dim: The Rabbinic writings say this also refers to his spirit of prophecy being diminished. Our heart can be seen through our eyes. (Prov. 30:17), so dim eyes meant a dimming heart. His mind was on the field (v. 3), which Yahshua said was a picture of the world. (Mat. 13:38) Being so accustomed to wealth and pure water, and being less of a bedouin than his father (having now settled in a house), his perception of Esau had become dull. Sure, he did not like Esau’s foul-breathed wives, but Esau’s talent in worldly success compared with Yaaqov’s intangible accomplishments made him hold him to a lower standard, just as many religious institutions allow their biggest donors to get away with being less righteous than others. He would not have been as eager to bless Esau if his perception of his unwillingness to be the spiritual leader of his generation had been sharper. Esau seemed the obvious choice for the blessing, being the firstborn, who was born already looking like a prophet. Hattin suggests that it is because Esau will bear upon his shoulders the burden of founding a nation, and as a hunter he had demonstrated that he possessed a crucial mix of ambition, determination, skill, and foresight that the calling demanded. But the only other hunter figure in all of Hebrew Scripture is Nimrod the mighty (10:8-12), also a builder of cities and founder of an empire, and there is a definite connection between his prowess as a hunter and his skill as an emperor. The successful hunter can be stealthy, “is not dissuaded by the sight of bloodshed and is able to maintain calm and resolve in the face of fear. In short, a conqueror of animals can easily adapt his abilities to become a conqueror of men... Esau shares not only Nimrod's pastime, but his essence as well."

He seems to think he does not have much longer to live, though he ended up living at least 20 years longer—possible up to 80. Instead of continuing to dig wells and teach his children to follow YHWH, he had already become a pessimist and had his mind on enjoying himself one last time before he died—just like Esau.(25:32) He may have recognized he had not done as well as he should have in disciplining Esau, and had given up on being able to do any better. He already feels obsolete—that all of his accomplishments are behind him. And indeed we do not read of any more acts of his in the remainder of his years.

Game: Lit., "a huntable", possibly implying something kosher--a necessary reminder to a son who took wives that were NOT "fair game". Yet he was becoming slack, because a deer shot by a bow would be torn, and thus not kosher. To be killed properly, it must be painless to the animal, and get the blood out as quickly as possible.

Delicacies: Targum Onqelos has “stewed dishes”; the Hebrew is simply from a root word meaning “to taste”, so it was something “tasty”, but it also means “to perceive”. He cannot perceive with his eyes, so he shifts his judgment to another sense, rather than using his prophetic gift—the ability to perceive the unseen things that had been passed on from Avraham. Yitzhaq has been prosperous, and he saw this same characteristic in Esau. Yet it is as if he is saying, "Give me a reason to bless you”, just as Avraham had said, “If only Yishmael might live before you”. He knows there is no other justification for blessing him. He had gathered up his courage on Mount Moryah to surrender to what had to be done, and again he thinks he is doing what he needs to do. He wants to bless Esau, but his heart is not in it, so he calls on him to do the only thing he can do that is worthy of blessing, and hopes it will end well, against all likelihood. He uses Esau’s ability as an excuse not to face the obvious truth.

Rivqah heard, but not necessarily with her ears. She had the perception Yaaqov did not, and understood what was really at stake.

Her son: as contrasted with “his son Esau” (v. 5). Rivqah represents the Torah, whose child the one to be called Israel truly is. The children resembling the one who has become “Jesus” have their eyes more on prosperity as Esau did. These sons represent the right and left hand that we all have. Each has its place, but the left must be subject to the right if we are to serve the Kingdom.

Rivqah adds a phrase, intending to remind Yitzhaq how strong this blessing was and jar him into recognizing Esau does not deserve it.

Ordering: She is from a royal matriarchal line, the specifics of which are not clear on a literal level, but she lives in Sarah’s tent, so on a deeper level she represents the Torah, which does have the prerogative of giving commands. So what she is going to say is significant. She is speaking wisdom to our ancestor as the Torah always does. We are told to heed the correction of our father and not forsake the instruction (torah) of our mother. (Prov. 1:7-8) Esau did not want to be corrected, and, like most loving parents, Yitzhaq did not want to correct him. But the Torah knows things must be set right, because copping out will not accomplish the Kingdom. When Torah interferes tp set things straight, as Yaaqov would find out, it will cause pain and problems; the repercuissions would continue throughout all of Scripture, and the mideast conflict even today still goes back to a similar action on Sarah’s part with Yisma’el. But it will establish the proper order. The fight has not begun until wew take up the Torah, for it is our sword. (Efesians 6:17)

If goats from the flock would suffice to please him, it must have been the added spices that he really liked. This again shows that he is grasping at straws to somehow validate his need for Esau. Rivqah knew better, having heard directly from YHWH. A deer is kosher, yet wild like Esau, while goats were domesticated like Yaaqov. Two goats might be needed to provide the equivalent amount of the part of the deer that he liked best. But "two goats" also brings Yom Kippur to mind.(See note on 25:31) One was chosen for YHWH, and the other, for the wilderness demons (Azazel). There are strong resemblances in these two men, one of whom was himself shaggy, and the other who put goatskins on his own arms so they could not be told apart. The two goats over whom the lots were cast at Yom Kippur were to look as identical as possible. Both die, one for self, and one for the betterment of others. Yahshua, too, came "in the likeness of sinful flesh, yet without sin."

As Sarah had YHWH's mind regarding Hagar, so Rivqah also had more spiritual insight than Yitzhaq. His eyes were dim spipritually as well. Though Yaaqov had bought the birthright from Esau, he could not really have it without his father’s blessing.

Yaaqov does not refuse to obey, but realizes he has to work out the details. Smooth: in his skin, but the word also means slippery or flattering, as well as one who divides and distributes a portion. So Yaaqov possesses the same skills as Esau; the difference is in what he uses them for—the family rather than his own advantage.

Feels: or, gropes (being blind).

When, as Yitzhaq’s blindness represents, we lose sight of the true meaning of who the Messiah is, the Torah (represented by Rivqah) is indeed considered a curse by believers. Modern Christianity is afraid a curse will fall on them if they obey the Torah, but if we obey YHWH and negative repercussions result, they are His problem, not ours. If we obey, He is responsible for the results; if we do not, we are. That is truly the way of the fool. If we keep Torah, it keeps (guards) us.

15. Then Rivqah took the clothing of her elder son Esau—the valuable ones that were with her in the house—and dressed her younger son Yaaqov in them,

House: The man whose eyes had grown dim had stopped living in tents, and thus was no longer mobile or ready to move when YHWH led. The most desirable clothes in the house(hold) were traditionally those Adam had passed down to the first-born of each generation, who acted as priests before Aharon's time. Esau kept them at home to wear before his parents, honoring them (his one worthy trait), but did not wear them out in the rest of the world, just as the high priest in the Temple would only be permitted to wear his ephod in the Temple precincts.

17. Then she put the delicacies and bread which she had made into her son Yaaqov's hand,

Again, he did not ask for bread, but perhaps she was satisfying his hunger before offering the delicacies, so he could enjoy them as such. But again bread represents offering him "real food" so he might perhaps regain his spiritual sense and do the right thing in regard to what his two sons' actual callings should be.

19. And Yaaqov told his father, "I'm your firstborn son Esau. I have done as you told me. So please sit up and eat of my game, so that your soul may bless me!"

Yaaqov had indeed become the firstborn, and on this day he was a “shaggy goat” as Esau’s name denotes. So he used his words shrewdly. The right of the priesthood had already been sold; the blessing had to do with the firstborn's right of absolute leadership in the tribe.

Brought it right to me: "prepared it; caused the encounter for me" or even "YHWH arranged it for me" (He did-- before Yaaqov was born when He spoke to Rivqah about the elder serving the younger). Your Elohim: he does not yet refer to Him as his own. Perhaps he is just speaking as Esau would, but though he has studied, he has not experienced YHWH as his own, and later he places a condition on calling Him as such. (28:21)

Yaaqov’s “slip-up” was in giving credit to YHWH. Yitzhaq became suspicious at this point, because Esau would have bragged that he was the greatest hyunter in the world, and the animals would just fall down dead when they simply saw him! Only Yaaqov would give credit to YHWH.

Rav Shach wrote that there is a place for both Yaaqov’s voice and Esau’s hands (success in the material world). “As long as Yaaqov’s voice stays in the place of Torah study and prayer (i.e., the congregation of Israel), Esau’s hands will stay in their place. But if the voice of Yaaqov is sounded in the realm of Esau, the hands of Esau will enter the place of Yaaqov.” When Rav Sha’ul took the message to “Gentiles” in the synagogues, things worked as they were meant to. But when Christianity took the word to the nations indiscriminately (started preaching on street corners, inviting anyone and everyone in, casting their pearls before swine), Esau’s hands (the “money man”) did take over the congregations. We are meant to invite into our domain those whom we suspect are Israel and don’t know it, but we are not to speak it loudly in their place. Light does not chase insects down; they are drawn to it. YHWH made Esau the man of the field; when we try to tamper with that, we are asking for trouble.

Hands represent one's works, so he was judging him by his works, whereas the right of the firstborn has to do with one's spirit.

In Hebrew there is a loophole: he could have been interpreted as asking, “Are you my hairy son?” At that moment, Yaaqov truly was! Yaaqov also had a loophole provided by Torah: his mother had commanded him to do this.

26. And his father said, "Now come and kiss me, my son."

27. So he came close and kissed him, and he smelled the scent of his clothes, and he blessed him. He said, "See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that YHWH has blessed.

One who spends time with animals takes on their smell. Yitzhaq may have missed living in tents, and saw this reminder of life on the land as especially valuable. But the field, again, represents “the world”, and he was being lured by its ways. Even Esau’s best garments smelled like the world. As a parallel, Sunday is for many Christians “fashion-day”, where they show off their best garments not in order to honor YHWH but to outdo others.

Fatness: the best. The Land of Israel was at that time the best and most productive in the world. Grain and new wine: not just physically, but symbolically, in terms of community and joy. This same blessing is repeated after the havdallah service that marks the end of the Sabbath and the transition back into the rest of the week. "Dew" often refers to resurrection (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 26:19) and YHWH's revelation (Deut. 32:2).

Peoples: regimes or princes, as in 25:23. Bow down to you: in reverence (see Deut. 4:6). Mother's sons: how do they differ from his brothers? Brothers can be extended to kinsmen in general, but perhaps he also expected Rivqah to marry again, since he thought he was dying. The final sentence is the same promise given to Avraham, which Yitzhaq now possessed and had every right to pass on to his son. If Esau had been given this blessing, the messenger’s word to Rivqah in 25:33 could not have been fulfilled. She took the word that "the elder would serve the younger" as something she had to ensure, rather than expecting to just "happen" miraculously.

31. And he, too, cooked delicacies and came to his father. And he said to his father, "Let my father rise and eat the game of his son, so that your soul may bless me."

Yaaqov, being a man of study, had only asked his father to sit up, but Esau expected his father to remain standing in his presence. This was not honoring him. Esau was in a hurry. He has been waiting for this moment for a long time, and wants it to be over with quickly so his primacy can be recaptured.

If he has sold his birthright, he no longer is considered the firstborn, but he may have never told his father this.

He suddenly realized that his suspcion about Yaaqov had been true after all, and trembled violently at the reality that confronted him. But he had also just found out that his eldest son did not have much respect for him, and he may have also been trembling at the realization that he had almost allowed himself to bless the son who did not deserve it.

35. But he said, "Your brother came deceitfully and has taken your blessing!"

Deceitfully: cleverly or treacherously. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan says, “with wisdom”. If it was being used to supplant evil, what he did was not unethical, though it would have consequences. Taken: or, received.

Taken me by the heel: Yaaqov’s name is related to the word for heel, also an idiom for "behind-the-back plotter" or "trickster". Targum Onqelos has “outsmarted”. Took my birthright: Yaaqov had not taken his birthright, but bought it (25:33), so he should have had the blessing as well. It was Esau who was actually trying to steal it back! We must inform the “Esau” in us that we cannot trade in the things of the Kingdom for worldly desires, then expect to reclaim them whenever we want! If the rightful owner gets there before we do, we have lost them as he did:

As for those in Yahshua's parables, the gates were already closed. (Matt. 25:10) It is too late for him. Relatives: He intenmds for there to remain a relationship between these two sons, but Esau must be the one to defend Yaaqov.

39. And his father Yitzhaq answered and said to him, "Behold, your abode shall be [away] from the fatness of the earth and [far] from the dew of the heavens above,

Away from the fatness: His land is indeed largely desolate and desert-like now, though it may have had more rainfall in his own day.

When you brandish that sword: become restless, or "there shall be a time when you are aggrieved, and..." In Rabbinical lore, Edom represents the church, especially the Roman, because Romulus, the co-founder of Rome, was a descendant of Esau. (Leviticus Rabbah 13:5) When Yaaqov's descendants began to reject Yahshua's followers at the Bar Kochba rebellion, under pressure they split from the main body of Judaism--a repeat of the division of the Kingdom under Rehov'am (1 Kings 12)--and paganism began to enter the Called-Out Assembly en masse. The appearance of Messiah's followers changed by and large from being "tent-dwellers" (students of Torah) to those "interested in their belly" and the wealth of this world. So his blessing contains a curse. Christianity made us see the yoke as a bad thing, but a farmer would see it as very profitable, both for himself and for his animals, because it helps distribute the load properly. If Esau had remained under Yaaqov’s yoke, his load would not have been heavy. But by rebelling, he got out from under the covering yaaqov provided, and was “on his own” to fend for himself.

Esau hated Yaaqov: see Mal'achi 1:3, where YHWH reciprocates. If he killed his brother, he would become the heir again. This was now the only way to have it back, but this too would have been a deceitful route to what he wanted.

Was told: by whom? Esau had said these words “in his heart” (v. 41), so it must have been YHWH or His messenger who told her. Unlike Yitzhaq, she was able to hear what a human being could not hear, unless she was told by a prophet. The Torah “knows” everything. Encrypted within its letters many have found all the major events in history, the names of notable personages, and it is the Book of Life in which the names of those YHWH favors are written.

44. "and stay with him for a few days until your brother's rage subsides—

A few days: Possibly an idiom for up to a year. It ended up being more than 7,000 days!

I will send: though apparently she was no longer living when Yaaqov would return, she did send for him, for later we see Rivqah’s nurse return with him, but apparently his commitments kept him from returning until after Rivqah herself has died. He was her favorite son, and possibly the curse that she took upon herself in v. 13 was that she would never see him again. The spirit of the Torah is what has sent for Israel in exile and is calling us back to the Land of our roots. Both of you: Yitzhaq and Yaaqov, because of Esau’s intention (v. 41). It cannot be referring to Esau also dying for the crime, because Yaaqov would have no avenger of blood left alive who would have a right to kill Esau. The word for "bereft" is from the literal term for a "short stem", visible only when the grape cluster has been removed, and also means to miscarry.

The daughters of Cheth: See 26:34. Yaaqov’s flight cannot be seen as rebellion, so that Yitzhaq will not reverse what he has just done and again set Esau over all that he has. So Rivqah, being clever in her own right, makes sure the blessing given when he sets out on the journey will be one freely given, not coerced. When those who are meant to be YHWH’s people have their eyes on the world, it sometimes takes this sort of roundabout maneuvering to get them to make the right decisions. We often see the spiritual element in the church trying to make the Bible seem relevant to the lives of those who have marginalized it through irrelevant means designed only to get their attention. But this was a true statement on Rivqah’s part, even if it was only her pretext. If Yaaqov attached himself to foreign elements, his seed would not pass through the right channels, and the covenant as prophesied by Noach would fail. If we want to be partly foreign, and not fully attached, why keep the Torah at all? YHWH wants us hot or cold, not lukewarm. Most Western law is based partly on the Torah, but it only half-serves it. Many say they “do what they have to do” for the sake of peace, but the true peacemaker carries a sword. There is no honor in avoiding confrontation if it means compromise. We cannot let pressing concerns make us set aside Kingdom things. If Yitzhaq listens to what she says, he will do the right thing. Those with a tender heart toward the Torah will do the right thing. Some would say that obeying the Torah is only about serving words, but it only appears to be; it is really about preserving Israel (which was originally none other than Yaaqov himself).

CHAPTER 28

Orders: a military term. This was not an option. The blessing was a command, but the command was also a blessing. Removing some of our options gives us better structure and highlights our priorities more clearly. When we are speaking of the Torah, a distinction should not be seen between the two. And Yaaqov was indeed echoing the words of his wife Rivqah (27:46), whom we have seen is also a picture of the Torah. Kanaan, as we have seen, was the grandson of Noach who served his fleshly desires at any cost. Yaaqov cannot be attached to those who would influence him in this direction. Yaaqov is now in a position to continue to guard the covenant of Avraham, but if this seed gets mixed into it, his success will be greatly inhibited. If we surround ourselves with selfishness, we tend to become selfish too. The promise cannot be carried by one who is about himself. This is one of the reasons Esau had lost his birthright. So Yaaqov’s wife must thus come from the line of Shem, whom Noach made the master of Kanaan and the teacher of Yefeth.

Paddan-Aram: the plain of the Arameans (Syrians). The scope of his search for a wife is much narrower than his father’s, for the bar has been raised. Not just any Aramean would do. She had to follow the pattern that had proven best: Rivqah was Sarah’s niece, so Yaaqov’s wife would be Rivqah’s niece.

Though he said he had no blessings left to give, apparently Yitzhaq's prophetic spirit has revived. El Shaddai: the “feminine” side of YHWH, from a word meaning “breast”, thus emphasizing provision, which he indeed received. Yitzhaq is beginning to see again, due to his wife’s influence. Fruitful: His great-grandson’s name means "doubly fruitful". (48:19) Multiply you: or, grant you greatness and abundance. Through the descendants of Yoseyf, which means "add", they have become grafted into Yaaqov's stock and thus his heirs both physically and spiritually. (Rom. 14:19; Eph. 2:15) An assembly of nations: an organized body, gathering, or congregation. In contrast with Avraham’s many descendants who spread far and wide, Yaaqov’s were intended to remain together and remain concerned about one another. The Hebrew term is qahal--the equivalent of the better-known Greek “ekklesia", for though these peoples would still be scattered at one point, they would later be regathered out from among the nations with whom they would mingle, to again form one people, per 1 Keyfa/Peter 2:9-10)

Your seed: descendants, who would indeed be scattered and planted among all nations, but also the Messiah in particular, because the word "seed" is singular. (Gal. 3:16) Thus the promise of inheriting the Land is again narrowed, for the last time, to Yaaqov's descendants alone. Yitzhaq must never have intended to give this blessing to Esau, because when he had the occasion to, he did not. He gave him only earthly blessings, though the most important of these, too, actually went to Yaaqov as well. Esau received some as well, just as the one Yaaqov made his firstborn (Efrayim) would also inherit the more important blessings, but not as much physically, as the brother he displaced (Menashe). But until this point he had still only blessed Yaaqov with preeminence, fertility, and the position of leadership. (27:28ff) Now that, as per verse 8, his eyes have been opened again (no longer being blinded by Esau’s gifts) and he knows to whom he is talking, he gives him the fullest birthright blessing. But it is still contingent on his maintaining the right attachments and accepting the command along with the blessing. The promises are for only those connected to the Torah, no matter how many others may claim them.

As in church history, what came out of Yitzhaq was taken in by Lavan, the "white one", whom we have seen was actually full of greed, and Messiah was adopted by Gentiles who were nonetheless his relatives. Notice the order the two sons’ names are listed in, contrary to their birth order, but in agreement with the way their mother saw them. In contrast with 25:5, Yaaqov is now counted the elder. Esau was called, but Yaaqov was chosen. (Mat. 20:16) The calling is general, but who is chosen depends on how we serve YHWH. Yaaqov was willing to take on the role of servant and teacher, so his father chose him. It is interesting that the church has been known as the “called-out”, but even it has continued to refer to the Jews as the “chosen people”.

Esau saw: Being a son of Yitzhaq, he still had some giftings and understanding; he just had the wrong priorities.

8. and when Esau saw that the daughters of Kanaan were disagreeable in the sight of his father Yitzhaq,

9. [only] then did Esau go to Yishmael and take Machalath, the daughter of Yishmael the son of Avraham (Nevayoth's sister), as his wife, adding her to his other wives.

Thus some of the Arabs (Yishmaelites) are also Edomites. Esau perceives that there is something different in this relationship that he could have had if he had not married the Kanaanites. He understands that his parents wanted him to marry a cousin. Like the Protestant Reformation, he tried to make amends for his earlier errors by taking a more worthy wife also but without putting away all the paganism in the process. He tried to please his father, but did not check with his father first about what he really wanted; he just assumed that what he considered best would suffice. Martin Luther read the Bible and thus made some worthwhile improvements over the Roman system, but still was very anti-semitic. Esau still chose the wrong line. He went to Yishma’el’s camp, which was much closer than Paddan-Aram. Machalath: from a root meaning "weak, sick, or diseased". (See 26:34, 36:3). He should have been following Yaaqov, not to kill him, but to marry Lavan’s other daughter. Leah, who by the pattern of his ancestors’ marriages, should have been Esau’s wife, was 100% Semitic (from the line of Shem). She could have helped him become a man who made better decisions. Instead, while doing what looked right, he actually compounded the problem. Machalath was a descendant of Shem, but not through his mother, and she was actually only 25% Semitic, the remaining 75% being Chamitic as his other two wives were. Likewise many Christians are eager to repent, but no matter how bad they feel about their sin, they cannot succeed if they do not return all the way to the Torah, because without the proper knowledge they would be turning away from one type of sin, but continuing to break many others because they ignore the Torah, which reveals what sin is, though it is right in their Bibles. Repenting, in Hebrew, means going back to where one came from. To know how to go back, we have to know where we are supposed to be. So Yaaqov turned back to the ancestors who were worthy of emulation. Dwelling in the tents of Shem (25:27) had made him complete. By studying, he had gained the knowledge it took to make the right decisions. If we do things our fathers’ way despite our own preferences, and do not use our giftings to further our own desires, but for the betterment of the set-apart community, we too can inherit from this ancestor, Yaaqov.