Isaac, Jacob, Judah and JosephIsaac, Jacob, Judah and Joseph

Genesis 24, 29:1-30, 38, 39

Isaac

• The second patriarch of the Israelites

• Offered as a burnt offering to God

• Married with Rebekah

• Had twin sons by Rebekah (Ge25:21-26)

• Loved the elder son Esau (Ge25:27-28)

• Deceived by the younger son Jacob for blessing (Ge27:1-29)

Jacob (1)

• The third patriarch of the Isrealites who were named after him

• Managed to get Esau sell his birthright to him

• Deceived Isaac into blessing him

• Fleeing from Esau to uncle Laban

• Married Leah and Rachel, giving birth to 12 sons and at least 1 daughter

Jacob (2)

• Serving father-in-law for 20 years• Taking his family and cattle back to Canaan• Wrestled with God (Ge32:24-26)• Renamed Isreal on the way back(Ge32:28)

Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, [Israel means he struggles with God.] because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” 那人说 :“ 你的名不要再叫雅各，要叫以色列；因为你与神与人较力，都得了胜。”

Jacob (3)

• Moved to Egypt but his body was taken back to and was buried in Canaan after death

• Before death - blessed Joseph's two sons - Manasseh

（玛拿西） and Ephraim （以法莲） (Ge 48)

- blessed his 12 sons - giving more blessing to Ephraim and Jose

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Jacob (4)

• experiences many personal struggles both in the land and out of it, including

- the hatred of his brother, Esau;

- the deception of his father-in-law, Laban;

- the rape of his daughter, Dinah (Ge34);

- the death of his favorite wife, Rachel;

- the sale of his son, Joseph

Judah

• The fourth son of Jacob• It was Judah's idea that Joseph was sold t

o the passing merchants, which saved Joseph out of the fate of death

• Judah had 3 sons and was involved with his daughter-in-law

• Judah's descendants became the chief inhabitants of the kingdom of Judah

• Ancestor of David through his son Pharez / Perez

Joseph (1) (Ge30-50)

• A figure connecting events in Genesis and Exodus, who found a good place in Egypt for his family to live and prosper

• The 11th son of Jacob, his favorite son• Joseph’s dreams (Ge 37)• Sold by brothers• Became overseer of an Egyptian officer• Put to prison for his master's wife's false a

ccusation

Joseph (2) (Ge30-50)

• Interpretation of the dreams of the baker and the cupbearer （酒政） (Ge 40)

• Interpretation of the pharaoh's dreams

• Made ruler over all of Egypt's land and people except the Pharaoh

• saved his family out of the famine years

• asked for a rich land Goshen for his family to dwell

Isaac and Jacob's Betrothal (1)

• similar betrothal scenes (Robert Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative, pp. 47-62)

1) 男方或代理人长途跋涉到远方去找未来的妻子

2) 第一次相遇都发生在一口井旁 3) 男方向女方要水喝，或替女方排解困难

并汲水，之后双方交换身份 4) 女方回家报告消息，或把来人领回家

Isaac and Jacob's Betrothal (2)

• Different Characters and Characterization Isaac - protected, passive, incompetent Rebekah - fair, active, lively, enthusiastic, competen

t Jacob - smart, fighting for what he wanted

Function of Repetition

• Subtle changes in the repetition reveal the old servant's skillful matchmaking

1 ）显示主人的经济实力，强调儿子是唯一继承人 (Ge24:35-36)

2 ）用亲情拉近关系 (Ge24:38, 24:40)

3 ）把这门婚事说成是耶和华的旨意 (Ge24:42-48)

Judah and Tamar (1)

• How many sons did Judah have? Why had his first two sons died?

• Why hadn't Judah given Tamar to his youngest son to marry? What did he ask Tamar to do?

• What did Tamar decide to do when hearing his father-in-law would go to Timnath to shear his sheep?

Judah and Tamar (2)

• What kind of person did Judah think of Tamar when he saw her sitting on the roadside?

• What kind of deal had they made?

• What pledge had Tamar asked from Judah?

• What was Judah's first response at hearing Tamar got pregnant by prostitution?

• What did he say after discovering the truth?

古希伯来婚姻传统和妇女地位• 长女必先出嫁• 兄或弟去世，其兄弟有权继承其财产，并

有义务娶其妻且头生子要算在死人名下• 生育对古希伯来女人的重要性

Joseph and Potiphar's Wife (1)

• To whom was Joseph sold when he was taken to Egypt?

• How did the master treat Joseph?• What problem did Joseph face?• How did one day the mistress tempt Joseph?• What did she say to the servants when Joseph r

efused and ran away from her?• What did she say to her husband?• What was the consequence of this incident?

Joseph and Potiphar's Wife (2)

• Character of Joseph

- righteous, loyal, competent

• Character of Potiphar's wife

- loose, licentious, unfaithful, calculating

• Meaning of Joseph's experience in Potiphar's house

- to show God's power (God was with Joseph and had made him prosperous)

Assignments

• Read "The Story of Moses" (Exo 1, 2, 3, 4:1-17, 20:1-17)

• Find out the excuses Moses used to refuse God's call

• Think about why Moses refused God's command?