†. Gen 25:22a . . But the children struggled in her womb,
The word for "struggled" is from ratsats (raw-tsats') which means: to crack
in pieces, literally or figuratively
Haw-Haw-Haw-Haw-Haw. Those little tiny babies were trying to bust each
other's skulls in there! The word ratsats is used just like that in a couple of
places. (e.g. Jgs 9:53, Ps 74:12-13)
But I think it is more likely that each wanted to dominate the other. A
common use of the word ratsats is oppression. (e.g. Deut 28:33-34, Jgs
10:6-8)
†. Gen 25:22b . . and she said: If so, why do I exist?
That rendering is a bit murky. I think it would be better to paraphrase it: "If
this is the case; then why am I here?"
Although Genesis revealed in verse 22a that Rebecca was carrying more
than one child, and that the children were struggling for domination in the
womb, the author wrote from inspiration and hind sight while Rebecca
herself had no way of knowing what was going on at the time. It must have
appeared to her that she was having a difficult pregnancy and in grave
danger of dying in child birth. That of course would make no sense at all to
Rebecca because she was chosen for Isaac's wife by Divine providence; and
her pregnancy was the result of Isaac's intercession. What was the point of
going to all that trouble if she was only going to die right along with their
first baby? In her mind, she certainly would have been much better off to
have remained up north with her family and not left home with the servant
to marry Isaac and lose her life bearing his child.
†. Gen 25:22c . . She went to inquire of the Lord,
Went where? Well . . Isaac had settled near Beer-lahai-roi, the very water
source where Hagar met with God for her very first time. This record is the
very first time Rebecca met with God too, and she very likely met with God
right at the same place Hagar did.
Hagar gave that spring of water its name Beer-lahai-roi in honor of her new
best friend-- 'Ataah 'Eel R'iy-- the god who was aware of her problems, and
who was also interested in helping her deal with them.
In the movie "Titanic" after looking at drawings a passenger made of some
unusual women in Paris, and listening to him relate intimate details about
them, the heroine turned and said: "You have a gift Jack. You see people."
Well, God sees people too. Beer-lahai-roi was Hagar's secret garden, and I
sometimes wonder if Isaac didn't settle there because of that. I believe that
is where Rebecca went to talk with God about her boys. And why not? That
spring had good karma. And if God was sympathetic with Hagar there, then
why wouldn't He be sympathetic with Rebecca there too? 'Ataah 'Eel R'iy is
the very best kind of god to have-- one who sees people.
But suppose Rebecca had instead opted to pray from inside her tent? Would
God have heard her from there? Yes, He would have heard (cf. Ps 139:7-12,
Mtt 6:6). It isn't necessary to resort to a special sanctuary, or a shrine, or
take your case to a professional priesthood for mediation. People often pray
from very unusual places; and get good results. (e.g. Jonah 2:1-3)
If Jonah could pray and be heard from inside a smelly ol' fish's tummy, and
if God can be worshipped elsewhere than a church (John 4:21-24) then I
guess it should be okay if Rebecca prayed from inside her tent-- and it
should be okay if somebody prayed from their car, or bedroom, or in the
mountains on a hike, or even in the restroom at work.
†. Gen 25:23a . . and the Lord answered her: Two nations are in your
womb, two separate peoples shall issue from your body;
The Hebrew word for "nations" is from gowy (go'-ee); or the short version
goy (go'-ee) which means: (in the sense of massing) a foreign nation;
hence, Gentiles; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts.
The words gowy and goy, are commonly used by modern Jews in referring to
people who aren't Jewish. But the words goyim and goy do not especially
mean non-Jews. Those words apply to all manner of people masses; both
Jew and Gentile. There are other Bible examples where those words
unmistakably apply not just to non Jews, but to genetic Hebrews too.
For example: "I will make of you a great nation" (Gen 12:2). That promise
was made to Abraham regarding his genetic progeny. The word for "nation"
in that verse (which in this case clearly refers to the people of Israel) is
gowy, the same word describing both Jacob and Esau.
Another example is Gen 18:17-18 where both Hebrews and Gentiles are
referred to as goyyim: "Now the Lord had said, Shall I hide from Abraham
what I am about to do, since Abraham is to become a great and populous
nation and all the nations of the earth are to bless themselves by him?"
In another instance; God gave His word that, while the universe exists, the
people of Israel would never cease to be goy.
†. Jer 31:35-36 . .Thus said the Lord, Who established the sun for light by
day, the laws of moon and stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea into
roaring waves, Whose name is Lord of Hosts: If these laws should ever be
annulled by Me-- declares the Lord-- only then would the offspring of Israel
cease to be a nation before Me for all time.
So the people of Israel are still goy even to this very day.
Gen 25:23a is an interesting development. God chose Sarah to be the one
through whom Abraham's covenant would perpetuate-- likewise He chose
Rebecca for the same purpose. It was through her that the covenant would
perpetuate too. But why did God wait for Jacob's wives before actually
beginning to multiply the people of Israel? Why not begin with Isaac and
Rebecca?
Couldn't Isaac and Rebecca keep on having children? Why stop with just the
two boys Jacob and Esau? Why not go on and produce ten more sons?
Rebecca was strong, and young enough to do it and so was Isaac. And
anyway, even if Rebecca got too wore out, there was always the option of
Isaac sleeping with his wife's damsels (who by now were mature young
women) like Jacob did to produce Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. So why did
God skip over Isaac, choosing instead to wait for Jacob to come along and
produce the twelve tribes of Israel? I honestly dunno.
Cont.
/
The word for "struggled" is from ratsats (raw-tsats') which means: to crack
in pieces, literally or figuratively
Haw-Haw-Haw-Haw-Haw. Those little tiny babies were trying to bust each
other's skulls in there! The word ratsats is used just like that in a couple of
places. (e.g. Jgs 9:53, Ps 74:12-13)
But I think it is more likely that each wanted to dominate the other. A
common use of the word ratsats is oppression. (e.g. Deut 28:33-34, Jgs
10:6-8)
†. Gen 25:22b . . and she said: If so, why do I exist?
That rendering is a bit murky. I think it would be better to paraphrase it: "If
this is the case; then why am I here?"
Although Genesis revealed in verse 22a that Rebecca was carrying more
than one child, and that the children were struggling for domination in the
womb, the author wrote from inspiration and hind sight while Rebecca
herself had no way of knowing what was going on at the time. It must have
appeared to her that she was having a difficult pregnancy and in grave
danger of dying in child birth. That of course would make no sense at all to
Rebecca because she was chosen for Isaac's wife by Divine providence; and
her pregnancy was the result of Isaac's intercession. What was the point of
going to all that trouble if she was only going to die right along with their
first baby? In her mind, she certainly would have been much better off to
have remained up north with her family and not left home with the servant
to marry Isaac and lose her life bearing his child.
†. Gen 25:22c . . She went to inquire of the Lord,
Went where? Well . . Isaac had settled near Beer-lahai-roi, the very water
source where Hagar met with God for her very first time. This record is the
very first time Rebecca met with God too, and she very likely met with God
right at the same place Hagar did.
Hagar gave that spring of water its name Beer-lahai-roi in honor of her new
best friend-- 'Ataah 'Eel R'iy-- the god who was aware of her problems, and
who was also interested in helping her deal with them.
In the movie "Titanic" after looking at drawings a passenger made of some
unusual women in Paris, and listening to him relate intimate details about
them, the heroine turned and said: "You have a gift Jack. You see people."
Well, God sees people too. Beer-lahai-roi was Hagar's secret garden, and I
sometimes wonder if Isaac didn't settle there because of that. I believe that
is where Rebecca went to talk with God about her boys. And why not? That
spring had good karma. And if God was sympathetic with Hagar there, then
why wouldn't He be sympathetic with Rebecca there too? 'Ataah 'Eel R'iy is
the very best kind of god to have-- one who sees people.
But suppose Rebecca had instead opted to pray from inside her tent? Would
God have heard her from there? Yes, He would have heard (cf. Ps 139:7-12,
Mtt 6:6). It isn't necessary to resort to a special sanctuary, or a shrine, or
take your case to a professional priesthood for mediation. People often pray
from very unusual places; and get good results. (e.g. Jonah 2:1-3)
If Jonah could pray and be heard from inside a smelly ol' fish's tummy, and
if God can be worshipped elsewhere than a church (John 4:21-24) then I
guess it should be okay if Rebecca prayed from inside her tent-- and it
should be okay if somebody prayed from their car, or bedroom, or in the
mountains on a hike, or even in the restroom at work.
†. Gen 25:23a . . and the Lord answered her: Two nations are in your
womb, two separate peoples shall issue from your body;
The Hebrew word for "nations" is from gowy (go'-ee); or the short version
goy (go'-ee) which means: (in the sense of massing) a foreign nation;
hence, Gentiles; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts.
The words gowy and goy, are commonly used by modern Jews in referring to
people who aren't Jewish. But the words goyim and goy do not especially
mean non-Jews. Those words apply to all manner of people masses; both
Jew and Gentile. There are other Bible examples where those words
unmistakably apply not just to non Jews, but to genetic Hebrews too.
For example: "I will make of you a great nation" (Gen 12:2). That promise
was made to Abraham regarding his genetic progeny. The word for "nation"
in that verse (which in this case clearly refers to the people of Israel) is
gowy, the same word describing both Jacob and Esau.
Another example is Gen 18:17-18 where both Hebrews and Gentiles are
referred to as goyyim: "Now the Lord had said, Shall I hide from Abraham
what I am about to do, since Abraham is to become a great and populous
nation and all the nations of the earth are to bless themselves by him?"
In another instance; God gave His word that, while the universe exists, the
people of Israel would never cease to be goy.
†. Jer 31:35-36 . .Thus said the Lord, Who established the sun for light by
day, the laws of moon and stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea into
roaring waves, Whose name is Lord of Hosts: If these laws should ever be
annulled by Me-- declares the Lord-- only then would the offspring of Israel
cease to be a nation before Me for all time.
So the people of Israel are still goy even to this very day.
Gen 25:23a is an interesting development. God chose Sarah to be the one
through whom Abraham's covenant would perpetuate-- likewise He chose
Rebecca for the same purpose. It was through her that the covenant would
perpetuate too. But why did God wait for Jacob's wives before actually
beginning to multiply the people of Israel? Why not begin with Isaac and
Rebecca?
Couldn't Isaac and Rebecca keep on having children? Why stop with just the
two boys Jacob and Esau? Why not go on and produce ten more sons?
Rebecca was strong, and young enough to do it and so was Isaac. And
anyway, even if Rebecca got too wore out, there was always the option of
Isaac sleeping with his wife's damsels (who by now were mature young
women) like Jacob did to produce Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. So why did
God skip over Isaac, choosing instead to wait for Jacob to come along and
produce the twelve tribes of Israel? I honestly dunno.
Cont.
/
