Genesis 16-50, Volume 2 (2) (Word Biblical Commentary)

I am enjoying this second volume.

ETERNAL COVENANT with ABRAHAM (17:7)"I shall confirm My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an eternal covenant in order to be your God and your descendants' God."God changes Abram's name to Abraham, which is an anagram (rearrangement of letters) that means "I shall multiply" (17:5). His very name guarantees that he will father many nations.The improbability of a 99-year old woman bearing a son, and from that one son giving birth to an entire nation which flourishes today, is one of the best forensic evidences for the existence of God – the tiny nation of Israel. God called Himself "Ed-Shaddai," (Almighty), showing that He is able to make the barren fruitful and to fulfill His promises.THE LORD APPEARED to ABRAHAM (18:1-2)"The Lord appeared to him at the oaks of Mamre...He looked up and noticed three men standing by him."The reader knows that God appears to Abraham, who, at first, just sees three men.What clues are there that indicate that one of these men is the Lord?1) Abraham unwittingly treats the men as representing deity by bowing down (v.2).2) He apparently addresses the leader of the group as "Sir" (Lit. my lord) which in 15:2,8 is translated "sovereign" (v.3).3) "I shall certainly come back to you next year" is a phrase used of God's intervention (Zech 1:3).4) Although the speaker has his back to the door of the tent, which Sarah is behind, he already knows her reaction to the news of her giving birth, even though she "laughed to herself" (v.10-15). He even knew HER THINKING. "Then the Lord said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh, thinking, "Shall I even really give birth as I am old?" Is anything too difficult for the Lord?'" (v13,14).Sarah's laugh is not a lack of faith, but hopelessness in having a child when she had already passed through menopause (v.11). The Lord tells them to name the upcoming child, Isaac, which means "to laugh" (17:19).ABRAHAM'S TESTING (Gen 22)For God to ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac seems to put God's promise in jeopardy – that of making a great nation from Abraham's son. This happens after Abraham had to expel his other son, Ishmael, from his home.How could a good God ask such a thing of Abraham? We later learn that God never intended to allow this to happen.The purpose of God testing Abraham was to discover "what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not" (Dt 8:2).The angel of the Lord said, "now I know that you do fear God, for you have not withheld your son, your only child from Me" (22:12).After Abraham passes God's test of obedience ("because you have obeyed Me" 22:18), God reiterates His promise to make Abraham's descendants as numerous "as the stars of heaven" (15:5) and, for the first time, "like the sand which is on the seashore" (22:17).We never learn what Abraham was thinking about God's horrible request,However, Hebrews 11:19 says that Abraham "reasoned that God was able to raise him [Isaac] from the dead," which tells us that Abraham fully expected God to raise Isaac from the dead after Abraham carried out this terrible request.Isaac apparently consented to his father binding his hands, and therefore foreshadowed Christ, who was "like a lamb that was led to slaughter, [yet] He did not open his mouth" (Isa 53:7).And Abraham mirrors the Father's love."He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us" (Rom 8:32).ABRAHAM'S DEATH (25:1-11)Abraham had other sons with his concubines. This fulfilled God's promise to make him, not only the father of the Jews, but "the father of a multitude of nations" (17:4).He died at the age of 175, thus living in Canaan for 100 years after leaving his home in Haran (12:4).He was 10 years older than Sarah (17:17).He was buried in the field he bought for Sarah when she died. This was the first purchase of land made by the Jews in the promised land (23:17-19). It was at Mamre in Kiryat-Arba, the place where God's promises to Abraham had most been revealed.THE STORY of ISAAC (25:19-35:29)Isaac prayed for Rebekah when she was barren (25:20-21). Twenty years later God answered his prayer (25:26).The twins she was pregnant with "struggles together within her." She inquired of God, who told her "two nations are in your womb" and the older [Esau] will be the slave of the younger [Jacob]."Jacob becomes the father of the nation of Israel, and Esau the father of Edom. In 586 BC, Edom sided with the Babylonians and cuts off the Judeans trying to escape from Jerusalem, recalled bitterly in the prophets (Ezek 25:12-14).How could Esau sell his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup?!The writer of Hebrews warns those Jews who are wavering in their new-found faith in Christ."See to it that no one be immoral or irreligious like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears" (Heb 12:15-17).The apostle Paul refers to this story as an example of the mystery of election, of why God chose Jacob over Esau.God's choice has nothing to do with man's merit."for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls" (Rom 9:11).The promise that God made to Abraham is repeated to Isaac."I shall give all these lands...I shall multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven,,,and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing" (26:4).So Isaac shows his determination to prosper in the land by re-digging the wells his father Abraham had dug but were filled in by the Philistines. And giving them the same names Abraham had given them (26:18).God reassures him, "Do not be afraid, for I am with you and I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham" (26:24).JACOB MEETS GOD at BETHEL (28:10-22)Jacob flees his home after deceptively obtaining Esau's birthright. On the first night away, he sleeps outside. He dreams of a ladder reaching heaven upon which angels are ascending and descending. God says to him, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you are lying I shall give to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth...and all the families of the earth shall find blessing in you and your descendants. I am really with you and will guard you wherever you go...So Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, 'Truly the Lord is present in this place yet I did not realize it.' Overawed he said, 'How awesome is this place'" (28:13-17). Jacob responds by worshiping God and making a vow.Jacob was the first person in the Bible to hear the assurance, "I am with you," a promise later repeated to Moses (Ex 3:12), Joshua (Josh 1:5) and Gideon (Judg 6:16). "Emmanuel" means "God with us."JACOB and LABAN (29:15-30)Just as Jacob deceived his father, Isaac, into giving him Esau's birthright, so Laban (Jacob's uncle) deceives Jacob into working for him for 14 years, seven years each for Leah and Rachel. So even though Jacob is chosen by God, he is not exempt from divine justice for his own behavior.JACOB'S SONS (29:31-30:24)Eight of the 12 tribes come through Leah and her maid Zilpah, and four come through Rachel and her maid, Bilhah.Leah = Reuben, Simon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, ZebulonZilpah = Gad, AsherRachel = Joseph, BenjaminBilhah = Dan, NaphtaliIn the Bible, polygamous marriages always end up in disaster.Jacob never seems to forgive Leah for having participated in Laban's trick to marry Jacob.He treats her and her sons as inferior.This discrimination eventually leads to Leah's offspring attempt to eliminate Joseph, Rachel's firstborn and Jacob's favorite son (37:18-36).Jacob repays Laban's treachery for having him work for 14 years for Leah and Rachel by scheming to breed his flocks of sheep and goats in Jacob's favor (30:25-31:1). This takes 6 more years.Jacob leaves to finally return home. God keeps His promise to "guard" Jacob wherever he goes (28:15) by warning Laban not to harm Jacob (31:7, 24).JACON WRESTLES with GOD (32:25-31)Jacob wrestles with a man who touches his hip socket, then renames him Israel."You shall no longer be called Jacob but Israel, for you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome...So Jacob named that place Peniel, because 'I have seen God face to face and yet my life was rescued'" (32:29-31).Jacob means "supplanter," one who takes the place of another" (like he took Esau's place).Israel means "one who struggles with God."JACOB GOES UP to BETHEL (35:1-29)God reiterates His promise to Jacob."I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply, and may a nation and a multitude of nations come from you and kings come out of your loins. The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac I shall give to you, and to your descendants after you I shall give the land" (35:11-12).THE STORY of JOSEPH (37:2-50:26)Joseph was the son of Rachel, whom Jacob loved. Jacob gave him a special tunic because Joseph was his favorite son. He was hated by his half-brothers. He had been a servant boy of his half-brothers (from Bilhah and Zilpah) but told stories about them to Jacob.Joseph had two dreams where his brothers and father and mother are bowing down to him.In the ancient world, dreams were often viewed as messages from God.This made his brothers hate him more so they plotted to kill him.Reuben intervened and said instead of killing him they should just throw him into a pit.Reuben had intended to go back and retrieve him later, but then Judah persuaded his brothers to pull him up and sell him to some Ishmaelite traders from Midian. They took him to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, captain of the Egyptian guards.The plans of Reuben and Judah avoided the prohibition of killing a man, whose blood would cry up to heaven for vengeance (4:10).Before throwing him into the pit, they stripped off Joseph's special tunic, smeared it with animal blood, and later gave it to Jacob, who is plunged into mourning, assuming that he had been killed by a wild animal. Jacob, who once deceived his brother Esau out of his birthright, is now being deceived by his own sons about Joseph.The main theme of Joseph's story is expressed in Gen 50:20 where Joseph says to his brothers,"You planned evil against me, but God planned it for good in order to...preserve many people alive."God in His sovereignty works through and in spite of human scheming.THE STORY of JUDAH and TAMAR (The Big Picture) (38:1-30)Tamar becomes the widowed daughter-in-law of Judah. He fails to provide another husband for her, so she disguises herself and he lies with her, not knowing who she really is. She becomes pregnant with twins, Zerah and Peres.Later Peres heads the Judahite clan from which Boaz comes from.Boaz marries Ruth.Ruth is the grandmother of King David.David is the forefather of Jesus Christ.JOSEPH and POTIPHAR (39:1-20)In the same way God promised to be with Isaac (26:3) and Jacob (28:15), so now "the Lord was with Joseph" (39:2).Potiphar noticed that "the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful," so he put Joseph "in charge of his household and entrusted him with all that he had" (39:3-4).Joseph had an exemplary character.He would not give in to sexual temptation initiated by Potiphar's wife.He told her, "How can I do this great wrong and sin against God?" (39:9).She falsely accuses him of rape so he is put in prison for 13 years! (37:2; 41:46).Joseph joins other biblical characters who suffered unjustly, not the least being Jesus,"leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth, and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Pet 2:21-23).JOSEPH and PHARAOH (41:1-57)Joseph is released from prison when Pharaoh has two dreams and needs an interpreter.Joseph is humble to credit dream interpretation to God."Except for God, who can announce Pharaoh's welfare?" (16).Joseph correctly predicts 7 years of plenty, followed by 7 years of terrible famine.Pharaoh places him as second-in-charge of all Egypt.Joseph was thirty years old.JOSEPH and his BROTHERS' FIRST VISIT (42:1-38)Jacob sends all his sons, except Benjamin, to Egypt to buy grain during the famine.When they appear before Joseph, he recognizes them but pretends not to, while they do not recognize him. He accuses them of being spies (Is he toying with them? Punishing them for their treachery 20 years ago?) They deny this, and say they are brothers from the same father in the land of Canaan.They talk among themselves, not knowing that Joseph understands their language.They say the accusations of being spies is punishment for what they did to Joseph, and Reuben, apparently not being told that they had pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him into slavery, still thought Joseph was dead, and they were being punished for killing him. Upon hearing this, Joseph "turned aside from them and wept."To make them prove they are not spies, Joseph requires them to leave Simeon in Egypt while they return to fetch their youngest brother, Benjamin. On the way home, they discuss how this must be punishment for how they treated Joseph.Jacob, however, will not allow Benjamin to go with them because, he believes, Joseph "is dead, and [Benjamin] is the only one left," meaning the only son left of Rachel, whom Jacob loved over his other wives.HIS BROTHERS' SECOND VISIT (43:1-45:28)The brothers convince Jacob to let Benjamin go with them who says, "May God Almighty grant you mercy from the man." They also take twice the money and gifts of storax gum, honey, tragacanth, ladanum gum, pistachios and almonds.When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he "hurried out, for his affection for his brother boiled up, and he was on the verge of weeping, and he went into an inner room and wept there."They shared a meal.Then Joseph instructed the man in charge of his household to secretly put each man's money back into their sacks, and his silver cup into Benjamin's sack, to make it look like the men had stolen from Joseph in contrast to his great generosity to them.After his brothers start their return journey, Joseph sends his butler who brings them back to Joseph. He says he will keep Benjamin as his slave, but they can return to Jacob.Judah implores Joseph not to send them back without Benjamin, as "he is the only surviving child of his mother. And his father loves him...The lad cannot leave his father. If he does leave him, his father will die."Instead, Judah proposes that he stay in Egypt while Benjamin goes back to his father.JOSEPH REVEALS HIMSELF to his BROTHERS (45:1-15)"Joseph was not able to contain himself in the presence of all those standing by him, so he called out, Make everyone leave my presence.' So there was not anyone waiting on him when he made himself known to his brothers. He wept aloud, and the Egyptians and even the palace of Pharaoh heard about at. Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?'...I am Joseph, your brother whom you sold into Egypt. Now then don't be distressed or angry that you sold me here, because God sent me before you to preserve life [during the famine]...Now then it was not you who sent me here but God.'"Joseph tells his brothers to go get Jacob and move to nearby Goshen during the famine, so Joseph can supply them with food."Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept over his neck. He then kissed all his brothers and wept over them."When they returned to Jacob and told him that Joseph was alive and ruled over Egypt, "his heart stopped, for he did not believe them...I will go to see him before I die."THIRD VISIT of JOSEPH'S FAMILY to EGYPT (46:1-47:31)Once again, God speaks to Jacob in a vision."I am El, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I shall make you into a great nation there. I shall go down with you there, and it is I that shall bring you up again."Joseph rode his chariot to Goshen to meet his father, Jacob.There, he "fell on his neck, and wept over his neck again and again."Jacob and his family settle in Goshen. They were shepherds by trade and did not need for Pharaoh to give them "jobs," only to provide land for pasture.During the famine, Joseph collected all the money that was in Egypt and Canaan. When the people needed food, they bartered their livestock (horse, sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys). After all their livestock was gone, they bartered their land-rights and became royal slaves.JACOB and JOSEPH'S LAST DAYS (48:1-50:26)Before Jacob died, he blessed or cursed (those who acted inappropriately) his twelve sons, as well as Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.Judah is blessed.One of the most difficult Old Testament passages to translate is now considered a promise of the Messiah."The staff will not desert Judahor the scepter from between his feet,until tribute is brought to himand the peoples obey him" (49:10)."Until tribute is brought to him" can also be translated "Until he comes to Shiloh" or "Until he comes to whom it belongs." This is repeated almost verbatim in Ezek 21:27 in a section where Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, is told to "take off the crown" because dominion over Jerusalem will ultimately be given to the one "whose right it is."This verse was initially fulfilled in King David, and then in Christ.Joseph buried his father in the cave on the land of Macpelah which is opposite Mamre in the land of Canaan, where Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac were buried.Joseph forgave his brothers, saying, "Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God. You planned evil against me. It was God who planned it for good, so that is should happen as it is today to keep many people alive" (50:20).Before he died, Jacob summarizes the theme of Genesis by pointing to the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham, Isaac, and himself."El Shaddai appeared to me in Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. He said to me, 'I am making you fruitful, and I shall multiply you and make you a multitude of peoples and give this land to your descendants after you as a permanent holding.'" (48:3-4).Jacob even says he was blessed by God more than he expected.Jacob says to Joseph,"I never expected to see your face; now God has just showed me your descendants as well" (48:11).Joseph died at the age of 110 and was "put in a coffin in Egypt."Joshua 24:32 says,"They buried the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, at Shechem, in the piece of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of money."Before he died, he said to the sons of Israel,"God will definitely visit you, and bring you out of this land [Egypt] to the land [Canaan] which He swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

Excellent commentary by Gordon Wenham

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Quality resource in its field

fine volume

Gordon Wenham continues the excellent work established in his commentary on Genesis 1-15 in this second volume, which covers the rest of the first book of the Bible. My experience with the Word Biblical Commentary series is that most of them are well-constructed works of genuine biblical scholarship. What is true in general is certainly true of Wenham's endeavor in his two-volume work on Genesis.As is true of the other volumes in the WBC series, each section of text begins with an original translation by the author, which is followed by footnotes on that passage. These footnotes will be of most interest to someone with a working knowledge of Hebrew, since the deal primarily with issues of translation, and a working knowledge of Hebrew is necessary for understanding these issues. The "comment" and "explanation" sections provide the verse-by-verse commentary and an overview of the purpose and significance of the text. These are the sections that will be of most value to the layperson. For the most part, Wenham's discussions are lively and easy to read. It is clear that he has a detailed grasp of the cultural and geographical setting, and he brings his knowledge in these areas to help make the text come to life for today's reader.Finally, it is obvious that Wenham is aware of the what has sometimes been called "higher criticism." It is clear that he sees value in the critical approach to the text. It is also clear that he does not swallow this hook, line, and sinker. All in all, he is quite balanced in his approach in this area. And he has a high view of the overall historicity of the book of Genesis.

I have lots of commentaries from this series so knew what to expect. This volume was in excellent condition and arrived quickly.