Book of Genesis for Beginners: Chapters 27-31

Isaac Blesses Jacob

Gen 27:1-46

Isaac was old and brought Esau over to him and told him to go out and hunt for delicious food for Isaac. Isaac also told Esau that after eating the delicious food, he would bless Esau before he died.

Rebekah heard what Isaac told Esau to do so she told Jacob to get two young goats from the flock so she could make delicious food for Isaac. Rebekah also told Jacob that he needed to bring the delicious food to Isaac so he could bless Jacob before he died.

Jacob got the two goats for his mother and she prepared the delicious food. Rebekah got Esau’s best clothes and put them on Jacob. Rebekah also took the skin from the goats and covered Jacob’s arms, face, and neck to resemble Esau’s hair.

Jacob took the delicious food to Isaac. Isaac took the food and ate it in honor of the blessing about to take place. Isaac was not convinced that Jacob was Esau so he had Jacob come close to him to feel his hair on him. Isaac was almost blind and had to rely on touch.

The smell of Esau’s clothes and the hair that was put on Jacob convinced Isaac that Jacob was Esau. Isaac blessed Jacob as the heir of the covenant with God. Jacob left Isaac just as Esau came back and was preparing the delicious meal for his father.

Esau brought the delicious meal to Isaac, but his father said that he already had the delicious meal and blessed Esau. Isaac and Esau found out that Jacob deceitfully took the blessing away from Esau. Isaac was firm about not also giving the blessing to Esau.

Esau was furious at Jacob and wanted to kill Jacob for stealing the blessing from Esau. Rebekah told Jacob to flee to her brother Laban in Haran, and stay there until Esau cooled down and did not want to kill him anymore.

Isaac Sends off Jacob

Gen 28:1-9

Isaac told Jacob to go away to Rebekah’s brother’s house to live at. Isaac told Jacob not to marry a Canaanite woman, but to marry a daughter of Laban to keep the blood line clean. Isaac blessed Jacob and told him to be fruitful and multiply.

Esau overheard the blessing and direction that Isaac gave Jacob and wanted to get even with his father by marrying a woman outside of his Godly blood line. Esau married Ishmael’s daughter, Mahalath, to upset his father.

Jacob Dreams

Gen 28:10-22

On the way to Haran, Jacob became tired and rested. Jacob used a rock to rest his head and fell asleep. During Jacob’s sleep, he dreamed that there were stairs that reached all the way to Heaven. Angels were going up and down the stairs. The Lord stood above the stairs and began speaking to Jacob.

The Lord blessed Jacob and his offspring. The Lord told Jacob that all the land would be his and his offspring. The Lord also told Jacob that all mankind would be blessed by him and his offspring.

Jacob woke up from his sleep and used the rock that he rested his head on as a pillar and poured oil on it to honor the Lord’s covenant with him. Jacob called the place Bethel and vowed to give a tenth back to the Lord of what the Lord would give to him.

Jacob Stays with Laban

Gen 29:1-30

Jacob reached the land of Haran and rested at the city’s well. A herdsman came with his sheep and Jacob asked the herdsman if he knew who Laban was. Then Laban’s daughter, Rachel, came with her father’s sheep to give them a drink from the well.

Jacob told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son. Rachel took Jacob to meet Laban and Jacob told Laban all that had happened. Jacob stayed and worked a month at Laban’s house. Laban wanted to pay Jacob for the work that he did and asked Jacob how much would be the cost.

Jacob asked Laban that if he were to work for Laban for seven years, could he marry Rachel. Laban agreed to the deal. Seven years went by and Jacob asked Laban for Rachel as his wife. Laban gave Leah to Jacob as his wife because it was customary for the oldest daughter to marry first.

Laban told Jacob that if he worked for Laban for another seven years, Jacob could marry Rachel. Jacob worked for Laban another seven years and then married Rachel too.

Leah has Children

Gen 29:31-35

The Lord saw that Leah was hated by Jacob and opened up her womb, but left Rachel barren. Leah bore Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Jacob still loved Rachel over Leah, even though Rachel was barren.

Jacob has More Children

Gen 30:1-21

Rachel envied Leah because Leah was able to bare Jacob’s children and she couldn’t. Rachel complained to Jacob because she could not have children. Jacob told Rachel to take the issue up with God because Jacob was not the one at fault.

Rachel finally decided to let Jacob have her servant Bilhah as a wife and as her child bearer. Jacob would be able to conceive children with Bilhah, but the children would be Rachel’s. Jacob conceived and bore children with Rachel through Bilhah. The children’s names were Dan and Naphtali.

Leah and Rachel’s servant Bilhah could not have any more children for Jacob. Leah gave her servant Zilpah as a wife to Jacob so she could have more children with Jacob. Leah’s children with Jacob through Zilpah were Gad and Asher.

God reopened the womb of Leah and she gave Jacob two more sons. The last two sons that Leah gave Jacob were Issachar and Zebulun. Leah also gave Jacob a daughter named Dinah.

God Opens Rachel’s Womb

Gen 30:22-24

After all the children that God had given Jacob through Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah, God finally opened Rachel’s womb, so she could conceive and have a child with Jacob. Rachel bore a child of Jacob named Joseph.

Laban gives Jacob Some of His Flock

Gen 30:25-43

Jacob asked Laban if he could leave and settle elsewhere with his family. Laban wanted Jacob to stay and keep him wealthy. Jacob then asked Laban if he could have all the blemished sheep of Laban’s flock as payment for his services; Laban agreed to the deal.

Jacob bred the blemished flock to the point that Laban’s flock was no more. Jacob became wealthier than Laban as a result of his flock.

Jacob Flees from Laban

Gen 31:1-55

Laban’s sons became envious of Jacob because he became wealthier that Laban. Laban became unhappy that Jacob was wealthier than him. God told Jacob that it was time for him to move to the land of his fathers and his kin.

Jacob told Leah and Rachel that God told him to leave to the land of his fathers. Leah and Rachel agreed to leave with Jacob to the land of his fathers. Jacob left with all his possessions without telling Laban.

Laban found out that Jacob left with Leah, Rachel, his flock, and Jacob’s other possessions; he chased after Jacob. On the way, God spoke to Laban telling him to not say anything good or bad to Jacob when he would catch up to him.

Laban finally caught up with Jacob and asked him why he fled without telling anyone. Jacob told Laban that he was afraid that Laban would take Leah and Rachel away from him. Laban said to Jacob that he had the right to cause Jacob harm for fleeing from him, but God told him not to do anything to Jacob.

Jacob and Laban made an oath and set a pillar as a sign of the oath. The oath was for Jacob not to harm Leah and Rachel or marry any other women. The other part of the oath was for Laban not to pursue and harm Jacob from that point on. Laban kissed his grandchildren and daughters, and then he left back to his home.