†. Gen 32:14a . . After spending the night there,
No one knows yet just exactly where Mahanaim was located. According to a
Jordanian tourism web site, it was north of the river W. Zarqa (N. Yaboq) up
in some elevated ground a few miles east of Deir Alla. If your map doesn't
show Deir Alla; then from 'Amman Jordan look northward to the W. Zarqa
river and follow it west to its junction with the Jordan River. Deir 'Alla is
about 3 or 4 miles northwest of the point where the W. Zarqa river meets
the Jordan.
†. Gen 32:14b-16 . . he selected from what was at hand these
presents for his brother Esau: 200 she-goats and 20 he-goats; 200
ewes and 20 rams; 30 milch camels with their colts; 40 cows and 10
bulls; 20 jenny donkeys and 10 jack donkeys.
That's a total of 580 animals altogether. I don't know what each of those
species are worth on the hoof at today's prices, but all combined; it has to
be a heck of a lot of money. Especially for the camels. According to the 2000
Let's Go middle east tour guide, prices for camels in Birqash Egypt vary from
1,400 to 4,200 US dollars; with strong females being the most valuable.
Jacob sent Esau 30 females with their calves. Even in the median price
range, that's about 84,000 US dollars worth of dromedaries. You could buy
at least four Ford Taurus automobiles for that.
Just a note on the milch camels (mommies nursing babies) Camel's milk is
much more nutritious than that from a cow. It's lower in fat and lactose, and
higher in potassium, iron and Vitamin C. It's normally drunk fresh, and the
warm frothy liquid, heavy and sweet, is usually an acquired taste for the
Western palate. Most Saudi Arabian camels are females reared for their milk
in dairy herds.
†. Gen 32:17-21a . .These he put in the charge of his servants, drove
by drove, and he told his servants: Go on ahead, and keep a distance
between droves. He instructed the one in front as follows: When my
brother Esau meets you and asks "Whose man are you? Where are
you going? And whose [animals] are these ahead of you?" you shall
answer: Your servant Jacob's; they are a gift sent to my lord Esau;
and [Jacob] himself is right behind us.
. . . He gave similar instructions to the second one, and the third, and
all the others who followed the droves, namely: Thus and so shall
you say to Esau when you reach him. And you shall add: And your
servant Jacob himself is right behind us.
Some people have proposed that Jacob's tactic was an evidence of a lack of
faith in God's providence. I don't accept that theory for one second! Here's a
better way to look at it.
Supposing you were a university student with poor grades. So one night, in
desperation, you pray and ask God to help you pass the finals. After prayers,
you go to bed with all the confidence in the world that God will somehow
pack all the information you need to pass the test into your brain cells while
you're asleep. Next day you fail the test. You know why? Duh! You didn't
prepare for it.
When men praise the Lord in battle, they should also pass the ammunition;
and when a farmer prays for a good crop, he should say amen with a hoe;
and when people pray for a safe trip to grandma's house, they should put
gas in the tank and check the oil, the water, and the tires, and fasten all the
seat belts. Never pray for success without taking some initiative to make all
the sensible preparations in your power that are necessary to get it. If you
do your part to the best of your ability; the odds are in your favor that God
will do His part to the best of His ability.
†. Gen 32:21b-22 . . For he reasoned: If I propitiate him with
presents in advance, and then face him, perhaps he will show me
favor. And so the gift went on ahead, while he remained in camp
that night.
The phrase "propitiate him" is from kaphar (kaw-far') which means: to cover
(specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or
cancel. That is a very common word for atonement, and that is exactly what
Jacob had in mind: to atone for his past behavior; viz: to make things right
between himself and his brother.
†. Gen 32:23 . .That same night he arose, and taking his two wives,
his two maidservants, and his eleven children, he crossed the ford of
the Jabbok.
The Jabbok is in the country of Jordan and is a very loopy stream. It's path
traces out a huge fish hook beginning in the hills near Amman; then goes
about 7.5 miles northeast to Az Zarqa. From there it goes about 6.5 miles
north to As Sukhnah, then about 7.25 miles northwest; passing by Al
Qunayyah. From there it goes sort of west, drawing a pair of camel humps
for about 10.5 miles to a lake near Jarash. From there it goes dead west for
about 11 miles before turning southwest for ten miles to its junction with the
Jordan River.
I'm sure Jacob's decision was mostly a security measure. If he waited till
daylight to get his family across, Esau might show up unexpected while they
were crossing and have the camp at a disadvantage. It was to Jacob's credit
that he distanced himself from the women and children. If Esau and his men
were coming for Jacob's blood, the mothers and their children would very
likely get hurt in the fracas if Jacob were among them.
†. Gen 32:24-25a . . After taking them across the stream, he sent
across all his possessions. Jacob was left alone.
After helping his family to cross over, Jacob took some help and returned to
the other side to gather up all their stuff. He stayed while they went on back
over with everything and underwent a very strange close encounter of a
third kind.
Cont.
/
No one knows yet just exactly where Mahanaim was located. According to a
Jordanian tourism web site, it was north of the river W. Zarqa (N. Yaboq) up
in some elevated ground a few miles east of Deir Alla. If your map doesn't
show Deir Alla; then from 'Amman Jordan look northward to the W. Zarqa
river and follow it west to its junction with the Jordan River. Deir 'Alla is
about 3 or 4 miles northwest of the point where the W. Zarqa river meets
the Jordan.
†. Gen 32:14b-16 . . he selected from what was at hand these
presents for his brother Esau: 200 she-goats and 20 he-goats; 200
ewes and 20 rams; 30 milch camels with their colts; 40 cows and 10
bulls; 20 jenny donkeys and 10 jack donkeys.
That's a total of 580 animals altogether. I don't know what each of those
species are worth on the hoof at today's prices, but all combined; it has to
be a heck of a lot of money. Especially for the camels. According to the 2000
Let's Go middle east tour guide, prices for camels in Birqash Egypt vary from
1,400 to 4,200 US dollars; with strong females being the most valuable.
Jacob sent Esau 30 females with their calves. Even in the median price
range, that's about 84,000 US dollars worth of dromedaries. You could buy
at least four Ford Taurus automobiles for that.
Just a note on the milch camels (mommies nursing babies) Camel's milk is
much more nutritious than that from a cow. It's lower in fat and lactose, and
higher in potassium, iron and Vitamin C. It's normally drunk fresh, and the
warm frothy liquid, heavy and sweet, is usually an acquired taste for the
Western palate. Most Saudi Arabian camels are females reared for their milk
in dairy herds.
†. Gen 32:17-21a . .These he put in the charge of his servants, drove
by drove, and he told his servants: Go on ahead, and keep a distance
between droves. He instructed the one in front as follows: When my
brother Esau meets you and asks "Whose man are you? Where are
you going? And whose [animals] are these ahead of you?" you shall
answer: Your servant Jacob's; they are a gift sent to my lord Esau;
and [Jacob] himself is right behind us.
. . . He gave similar instructions to the second one, and the third, and
all the others who followed the droves, namely: Thus and so shall
you say to Esau when you reach him. And you shall add: And your
servant Jacob himself is right behind us.
Some people have proposed that Jacob's tactic was an evidence of a lack of
faith in God's providence. I don't accept that theory for one second! Here's a
better way to look at it.
Supposing you were a university student with poor grades. So one night, in
desperation, you pray and ask God to help you pass the finals. After prayers,
you go to bed with all the confidence in the world that God will somehow
pack all the information you need to pass the test into your brain cells while
you're asleep. Next day you fail the test. You know why? Duh! You didn't
prepare for it.
When men praise the Lord in battle, they should also pass the ammunition;
and when a farmer prays for a good crop, he should say amen with a hoe;
and when people pray for a safe trip to grandma's house, they should put
gas in the tank and check the oil, the water, and the tires, and fasten all the
seat belts. Never pray for success without taking some initiative to make all
the sensible preparations in your power that are necessary to get it. If you
do your part to the best of your ability; the odds are in your favor that God
will do His part to the best of His ability.
†. Gen 32:21b-22 . . For he reasoned: If I propitiate him with
presents in advance, and then face him, perhaps he will show me
favor. And so the gift went on ahead, while he remained in camp
that night.
The phrase "propitiate him" is from kaphar (kaw-far') which means: to cover
(specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or
cancel. That is a very common word for atonement, and that is exactly what
Jacob had in mind: to atone for his past behavior; viz: to make things right
between himself and his brother.
†. Gen 32:23 . .That same night he arose, and taking his two wives,
his two maidservants, and his eleven children, he crossed the ford of
the Jabbok.
The Jabbok is in the country of Jordan and is a very loopy stream. It's path
traces out a huge fish hook beginning in the hills near Amman; then goes
about 7.5 miles northeast to Az Zarqa. From there it goes about 6.5 miles
north to As Sukhnah, then about 7.25 miles northwest; passing by Al
Qunayyah. From there it goes sort of west, drawing a pair of camel humps
for about 10.5 miles to a lake near Jarash. From there it goes dead west for
about 11 miles before turning southwest for ten miles to its junction with the
Jordan River.
I'm sure Jacob's decision was mostly a security measure. If he waited till
daylight to get his family across, Esau might show up unexpected while they
were crossing and have the camp at a disadvantage. It was to Jacob's credit
that he distanced himself from the women and children. If Esau and his men
were coming for Jacob's blood, the mothers and their children would very
likely get hurt in the fracas if Jacob were among them.
†. Gen 32:24-25a . . After taking them across the stream, he sent
across all his possessions. Jacob was left alone.
After helping his family to cross over, Jacob took some help and returned to
the other side to gather up all their stuff. He stayed while they went on back
over with everything and underwent a very strange close encounter of a
third kind.
Cont.
/
