1. The Jacob Traditions Shepherd (Jacob/Israel) vs. Hunter (Esau/Edom) Theophany at Bethel Young Shepherd (Jacob/Israel) vs. Old Shepherd (Laban/Aram) Theophany at Penuel Shepherd (Jacob/Israel) vs. Hunter (Esau/Edom)

2. Jacob in the ancient sources –J: grabs heel of Esau; Yahweh beside Jacob; fugitive gets blessing; blessing to Laban; Israel as he enters the land; I won’t let you go until you bless me –E: Esau unworthy of first born rights (lentils); Jacob makes/fulfills vow about Bethel; Jacob’s ladder; angels; menstruating woman vs. gods –P Isaac willingly blesses Jacob; land yours when you are far from home; seeks wife among own family; name changed to Israel

3. Where do I find God? Gen 28:10- 22 Context within Genesis Ladder? Ramp? Staircase? Ziggurat God-angels-Jacob (or the LORD stood beside him) Land; offspring; blessing to all families of the earth Bethel = house of God

4. Gen 28:10-22 (continued) Vow: –Yahweh will be my God –This pillar shall be God’s house –I will give one tenth to you Traditional; orthodox

5. Where do I find God? Gen 32:22-32 16 people in Jacob’s entourage Jabbok: river on the East side of the Jordan Who wrestled with Jacob? –man? –dirty fighter, who can’t stand daylight –God (refuses to give name; striven with God; Peniel or Penuel [= face of God]) –angel

6. Gen 32:22-32 Etiologies –Israel –Penuel –Jacob’s limp –sciatic nerve Strangeness of the story; its long history Modern parallels

7. Where do I find God? Gen 33:1- 11 Esau has 25 to 1 odds against Jacob(v. 1) triage of Jacob(v. 2) “for truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God--since you have received me with such favor (v. 10)”

8. The Rape/Humiliation of Dinah Genesis 34 Jacob father of Dinah Hamor father of Shechem Dinah--openness to outsiders Rape? Date rape? Sexual relations with outsiders Jacob’s silence vs. the rage of the brothers

9. Dinah (continued) The openness of Hamor and Shechem The deceitful deal of the brothers: “Be circumcised” “If you do not listen to us, we will take our daughter and be gone.” What does Dinah think about all this? Where was she? Was she with Shechem?

10. The Aftermath of the Dinah Incident Gen 49:5-7: Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords…Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.

11. Dinah (continued) “This is a good deal”, Hamor and Shechem All men of Shechem were circumcised…and disabled Simeon and Levi killed all the males in the city, killed Hamor and Shechem; took Dinah out of Shechem’s house (!), other sons plundered the city.

12. Dinah (continued) Jacob: “You have made me odious” Simeon and Levi said: Should our sister be treated like a whore? –By Shechem? By Jacob? In what sense is Dinah a whore? –Shechem paid for her –Sex outside society’s mores; no bonding possible Where does the narrator stand?