IS THIS A HISTORY LESSON?

God appeared many times to Jacob, encouraging Jacob to get rid of the household gods his people had collected.  Each time, he reminded Jacob that Jacob would...from that time on...be  known as Israel.(However, the bible I have continues to call him Jacob!) Whenever God appeared to him, Jacob would set up a pillar.


Rachel gave birth to a second son with much difficulty, at this time.  Jacob named him Benjamin.  Rachel died soon afterward, still struggling from the birth, and was buried on the way to Bethlehem. Jacob placed her body in a tomb, popular for deaths at that time, and set up another pillar to God for her remembrance.  When the bible was written, the pillar was still there.  Perhaps it is still.


Jacob/Israel moved on again and pitched his tent.  But his son, Rueben, spoiled that particular place for a home by sleeping with Jacob's concubine, Bilbah.  His sons were not perfect men or perfect sons, yet they had strength in numbers and they and their sons became the Twelve Tribes of Israel.


Jacob/Israel went home to his father, Isaac, to be with him in his last years.  Isaac died at 180 years, was gathered to those who had gone before, and was described in the bible as"old and full of years."
Esau and Jacob/Israel buried him.


Esau took his wives from Canaan, his sons and daughters, as well as his livestock and all the goods he had acquired and moved to a land some distance from his brother.  There were too many possessions with both together, therefore, the need for space for each was vastly important.  They could not live too near one another as the land would not support them both.  Esau now had three wives and five sons, and his family became known as the Edomites.


Today's blog is almost nothing more than a "history lesson," therefore it's short!  Tomorrow, I want to begin to tell you about the life of Joseph, Jacob's first son from his lovely wife, Rachel.


From Joseph's life a  very popular musical extravaganza appeared in New York, on Broadway, THE COAT OF MANY COLORS.


See you tomorrow!


Jo INMN