Study Notes Week 33

Read
Aloud together to hear the Word (Leviticus 23:1-3; Nehemiah 8:1-4; Luke 4:16-17)

Bereshiyt (Genesis) 33:1-20

33:1 Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two servants. 2 He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. 3 He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. 4 Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept. 5 He lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, “Who are these with you?” He said, “The children whom Elohim has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the servants came near with their children, and they bowed themselves. 7 Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves. After them, Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed themselves. 8 Esau said, “What do you mean by all this camp which I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours.” 10 Jacob said, “Please, no, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present at my hand, because I have seen your face, as one sees the face of Elohim, and you were pleased with me. 11 Please take the gift that I brought to you, because Elohim has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it. 12 Esau said, “Let's take our journey, and let's go, and I will go before you.” 13 Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young, and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Please let my lord cross over before his servant, and I will lead on gently, according to the pace of the livestock that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord to Seir.” 15 Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the people who are with me.” He said, “Why? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 Jacob traveled to Sukkot, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Sukkot. 18 Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and encamped before the city. 19 He bought the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, the father of Shechem , for one hundred pieces of money. 20 He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel.

Torah Portion Summary
Context and coherence (Nehemiah 8:8)

Review

1. Genesis 32:1-2 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of Elohim met him. 2 When he saw them, Jacob said, “This is the camp of Elohim.” He called the name of that place Mahanaim.
   1. Josephus Now as Jacob was proceeding on his journey to the land of Canaan, angels appeared to him, and suggested to him good hope of his future condition; and that place he named the Camp of Elohim.
2. Genesis 32:24-29 Jacob was left alone, and wrestled with a man there until the breaking of the day. 25 When he saw that he didn’t prevail against him, the man touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was strained as he wrestled. 26 The man said, “Let me go, for the day breaks.” Jacob said, “I won’t let you go unless you bless me.”
   1. Josephus Jacob was left behind; and meeting with an angel, he wrestled with him, the angel beginning the struggle: but he prevailed over the angel, who used a voice, and spake to him in words, exhorting him to be pleased with what had happened to him, and not to suppose that his victory was a small one, but that he had overcome a divine angel, and to esteem the victory as a sign of great blessings that should come to him, and that his seed should never fall, and that no man should be too hard for his power. He also commanded him to be called Israel, which in the Hebrew tongue signifies one that struggled with the divine angel. These promises were made at the prayer of Jacob; for when he perceived him to be the angel of Elohim, he desired he would signify to him what should befall him hereafter. And when the angel had said what is before related, he disappeared; but Jacob was pleased with these things, and named the place Phanuel, which signifies, the face of Elohim.
   2. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan And Jakob remained alone beyond the Jubeka; and an Angel contended with him in the likeness of a man. And he said, Hast thou not promised to give the tenth of all that is thine? And, behold, thou hast ten sons and one daughter: nevertheless thou hast not tithed them. Immediately he set apart the four firstborn of the four mothers, and there remained eight. And he began to number from Shimeon, and Levi came up for the tenth.
      1. Jewish Encyclopedia: “Levi, as ancestor of the priestly tribe chosen to guard the Sanctuary and the Law, appears prominently in both apocryphal and rabbinical literature. At variance with Gen. xxix. 34 and Num. xviii. 2, 4, the name “Levi” is interpreted as “the one who joins the sons to their Father in heaven” (Gen. R. lxxi. 5; see another interpretation in Ex. R. i. 4). He was “separated” by his father, Jacob, in accordance with the latter’s vow (Gen. xxviii. 22), as the tenth son, either by counting from the youngest upward or by some more complicated process, and so consecrated to the priesthood (Book of Jubilees, xxii. 3-10; Targ. Yer. to Gen. xxxii. 25; Gen. R. lxx. 7; comp. Epstein, “Mi-Ḳadmoniyyot ha-Yehudim,” p. 97; comp. Pirḳe R. El. xxxvii., according to which he was consecrated by the archangel Michael).” – https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/9800-levi

      2. Birth Order	Tithe Order (Targum)	Child	Mother	Scripture
         1	1	Reuben	Leah	Genesis 29:32
         2		Shimon	Leah	Genesis 29:33
         3		Levi	Leah	Genesis 29:34
         4		Judah	Leah	Genesis 29:35
         5	2	Dan	Bilhah/Rachel	Genesis 30:6
         6		Naphtali	Bilhah/Rachel	Genesis 30:8
         7	3	Gad	Ziplah/Leah	Genesis 30:11
         8		Asher	Ziplah/Leah	Genesis 30:13
         9		Issachar	Leah	Genesis 30:18
         10		Zebulun	Leah	Genesis 30:20
         11		Dinah	Leah	Genesis 30:21
         12	4	Joseph	Rachel	Genesis 30:24
         13		Benjamin	Rachel	Genesis 35:18

   3. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan…Michael answered and said, Lord of the world is Thy lot. And on account of these things he (Michael) remained from Elohim at the torrent till the column of the morning was ascending. And he saw that he had not power to hurt him, and he touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jakob’s thigh was distorted in his contending with him. And he said, Let me go, for the column of the morning ascendeth; and the hour cometh when the angels on high offer praise to the Lord of the world: and I am one of the angels of praise, but from the day that the world was created my time to praise hath not come until now. And he said, I will not let thee go, until thou bless me. And he said, What is thy name? He answered, Jakob. And he said, Thy name will be no more called Jakob but Israel, because thou art magnified with the angels of the Lord and with the mighty, and thou hast prevailed with them. And Jakob asked and said, Show me now thy name. And he said, Why dost thou ask for my name? And he blessed Jakob there.
      1. Enoch 40:9 And he said to me: ‘This first is Michael, the merciful and long-suffering: and the second, who is set over all the diseases and all the wounds of the children of men, is Raphael: and the third, who is set over all the powers, is Gabriel: and the fourth, who is set over the repentance unto hope of those who inherit eternal life, is named Phanuel.’ And these are the four angels of the Lord of Spirits and the four voices I heard in those days.
      2. Enoch 54:6 And Michael, and Gabriel, and Raphael, and Phanuel will take hold of them on that great day, and cast them on that day into the burning furnace, that the Lord of Spirits may take vengeance on them for their unrighteousness in becoming subject to Satan and leading astray those who dwell on the land.’
      3. Enoch 70:1-13 And it came to pass after this that my spirit was translated And it ascended into the heavens: And I saw the holy sons of Elohim. They were stepping on flames of fire: Their garments were white [and their raiment], And their faces shone like snow. 2. And I saw two streams of fire, And the light of that fire shone like hyacinth, And I fell on my face before the Lord of Spirits. 3. And the angel Michael [one of the archangels] seized me by my right hand, And lifted me up and led me forth into all the secrets, And he showed me all the secrets of righteousness. 4. And he showed me all the secrets of the ends of the heavens, And all the chambers of all the stars, and all the luminaries, Whence they proceed before the face of the holy ones. 5. And he translated my spirit into the heavens of the heavens, And I saw there as it were a structure built of crystals, And between those crystals tongues of living fire. 6. And my spirit saw the girdle which girt that house of fire, And on its four sides were streams full of living fire, And they girt that house. 7. And round about were Seraphin, Cherubic, and Ophannin: And these are they who sleep not And guard the throne of His glory. 8. And I saw angels who could not be counted, A thousand thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand, Encircling that house. And Michael, and Raphael, and Gabriel, and Phanuel, And the holy angels who are above the heavens, Go in and out of that house. 9. And they came forth from that house, And Michael and Gabriel, Raphael and Phanuel, And many holy angels without number. 10. And with them the Head of Days, His head white and pure as wool, And His raiment indescribable. 11. And I fell on my face, And my whole body became relaxed, And my spirit was transfigured; And I cried with a loud voice, . . .with the spirit of power, And blessed and glorified and extolled. 12. And these blessings which went forth out of my mouth were well pleasing before that Head of Days. 13. And that Head of Days came with Michael and Gabriel, Raphael and Phanuel, thousands and ten thousands of angels without number.
3. Genesis 32:27-30 He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob”. 28 He said, “Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have contended with Elohim and with [mighty]^(LXX) men, and have prevailed.” 29 Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” He said, “Why is it that you ask what my name is?” So he blessed him there.
   1. Josephus He also commanded him to be called Israel, which in the Hebrew tongue signifies one that struggled with the divine angel. These promises were made at the prayer of Jacob; for when he perceived him to be the angel of Elohim, he desired he would signify to him what should befall him hereafter. And when the angel had said what is before related, he disappeared; but Jacob was pleased with these things, and named the place Phanuel, which signifies, the face of Elohim.
   2. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan And he said, I will not let thee go, until thou bless me. And he said, What is thy name? He answered, Jakob. And he said, Thy name will be no more called Jakob but Israel, because thou art magnified with the angels of the Lord and with the mighty, and thou hast prevailed with them. And Jakob asked and said, Show me now thy name. And he said, Why dost thou ask for my name? And he blessed Jakob there.
   3. The Reworked Pentateuch 4Q158 Ellipses in the text (…) represent missing fragments of the scroll
      1. The Reworked Pentateucha (4Q158) is also known as 4QPPa. 4Q158 is grouped with 4Q364-7, and together are called the Reworked Pentateuch, consisting of five Hebrew manuscripts from Cave 4 at Qumran. It contains portions of Genesis, Exodus, and Deuteronomy. Most lines are exactly as they appear in the Torah and some are not found in the canonized Hebrew Bible. In general, 4Q158 parallels quotes from the Torah with minor additions.
      2. … And [J]ac[ob] w[as left a]lone there. And [a man] wrestl[ed with him. When the man did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his thigh; and Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint] as he wrestled with him and he seized him. And he said to hi[m, What is your name? … And he said to him, Jacob. And he said, Your name will be Israel, for you have striven with Elohim and with] men and have prevailed. And Jacob asked [and] sai[d, Tell me, pray, what is your name. And he said, Why is it that you ask my name, and he bless]ed him there. And he said to him, ‘May the Lo[rd] make you fruitful [and multiply] you. [May he grant you kn]owledge and understanding and may he save you from all violence and … until this day and until everlasting generations. And he went on his way after he had blessed him there.
4. Genesis 32:30-32 Jacob called the name of the place Peniel; for he said, “I have seen Elohim face to face, and my life is preserved.” 31 The sun rose on him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped because of his thigh. 32 Therefore the sons of Israel don’t eat the sinew of the hip, which is on the hollow of the thigh, to this day, because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew of the hip.
   1. Jubilees 29:14-20 And in the first year of the fifth week in this jubilee [2136 A.M.] he crossed the Jordan, and dwelt beyond the Jordan, and he pastured his sheep from the sea †of the heap† unto Bethshan, and unto Dothan and unto the †forest† of Akrabbim. 15. And he sent to his father Isaac of all his substance, clothing, and food, and meat, and drink, and milk, and butter, and cheese, and some dates of the valley, 16. And to his mother Rebecca also four times a year, between the times of the new moons, between ploughing and reaping, and between autumn and the rain (season) and between winter and spring, to the tower of Abraham. 17. For Isaac had returned from the Well of the Oath and gone up to the tower of his father Abraham, and he dwelt there apart from his son Esau. 18. For in the days when Jacob went to Mesopotamia, Esau took to himself a wife Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, and he gathered together all the flocks of his father and his wives, and went up and dwelt on Mount Seir, and left Isaac his father at the Well of the Oath alone. 19. And Isaac went up from the Well of the Oath and dwelt in the tower of Abraham his father on the mountains of Hebron, 20. And thither Jacob sent all that he did send to his father and his mother from time to time, all they needed, and they blessed Jacob with all their heart and with all their soul.

Genesis 33:1-20

1. Genesis 33:1 Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two servants.
2. Genesis 33:2 He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
3. Genesis 33:3 He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
   1. שָּׁבַע shava’ (H7650) literally means “to seven oneself” where a person completely submits to a promise or oath with words and spoken seven times (cf. Genesis 33:3). שָּׁבַע shava’ is equivalent to the Greek ὀμνύω omnyō (G3660) and means to swear; to affirm, promise, threaten, with an oath; in swearing to call a person or thing as witness, to invoke, swear by. In ancient times, “A common practice was to make seven declarations when making an oath. This declaration can be making the oath seven times or doing seven things to show the sincerity of the oath.” – Jeff Benner
4. Genesis 33:4 Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept.
   1. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan And he (Jacob) himself went over before them, praying and asking mercy before the Lord; and he bowed upon the land seven times, until he met with his brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell upon his neck and kissed him, and they wept. Esau wept on account of the pain of his teeth which were shaken; but Jakob wept because of the pain of his neck.
   2. Jerusalem Targum And Esau ran to meet him, and hugged him, and fell upon his neck and kissed him. Esau wept for the crushing of his teeth, and Jakob wept for the tenderness of his neck.
5. Genesis 33:5 He lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, “Who are these with you?” He said, “The children whom Elohim has graciously given your servant.”
6. Genesis 33:6-8 Then the servants came near with their children, and they bowed themselves. 7 Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves. After them, Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed themselves. 8 Esau said, “What do you mean by all this camp which I met?” Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”
7. Genesis 33:9-10 Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours.” 10 Jacob said, “Please, no, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present at my hand, because I have seen your face, as one sees the face of Elohim, and you were pleased with me.
   1. Pleased with = רָצָה ratsah (H7521) means to be pleased with, be favourable to, accept favourably. The root of this word comes from the idea of crushing potsherds into broken pieces as writing tablets. This is because in ancient times, a person’s will and desires were written on potsherds as messages to another (cf. Exodus 24:12; Exodus 31:18).
8. Genesis 33:11-15 Please take the gift that I brought to you, because Elohim has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it. 12 Esau said, “Let’s take our journey, and let’s go, and I will go before you.” 13 Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young, and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Please let my lord cross over before his servant, and I will lead on gently, according to the pace of the livestock that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord to Seir.” 15 Esau said, “Let me now leave with you some of the people who are with me.” He said, “Why? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”
9. Genesis 33:16-17 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 Jacob traveled to Sukkot, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Sukkot.
   1. Josephus He then went up to his brother Esau, and bowed down to him, who had no evil design upon him, but saluted him; and asked him about the company of the children and of the women; and desired, when he had understood all he wanted to know about them, that he would go along with him to their father; but Jacob pretending that the cattle were weary, Esau returned to Seir, for there was his place of habitation, he having named the place Roughness, from his own hairy roughness.
10. Genesis 33:18-20 Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and encamped before the city. 19 He bought the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, the father of Shechem , for one hundred pieces of money. 20 He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel (Elohim, the Eloah or Israel).

Matthew 5:21-26