Lesson date: 2/18/5855AA

Verses 1-5 – This chapter probably should be called “Respect you father and your mother” for Shemoth 20:12 or Pro 6:20  My son, watch over your father’s command, And do not forsake the Torah of your mother.

This may have been Sha’ul’s inspiration for: 2Co 6:14  Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness? And what fellowship has light with darkness?

Look closely at the first part of verse 1. Is this not what happens to us in our walk with YHVH? He calls us, He blesses us and He commands us. His blessing is His commands and His commands are our Blessing. It is what sets us apart. Continue reading Bereshith (Genesis) 28 →

Lesson date: 07/25/5858AA

Sometimes, as we read through Scripture, we notice new words and phrases in English and/or Hebrew and, wonder how they arrived at that translation. Verse 1 of Chapter 29 is a case of that very thing:

Verse 1 – The ISR version puts the verse into a more modern parlance, “And Ya’aqob moved on,” and we understand it. Look at the KJV for its translation, “Then Jacob went on his journey,” and I think most of us get that as well. But when you look at the Hebrew you get more detail and I think it is fun when you consider it:

H5375 – נָסָה   נָשָׂא – nâśâ’   nâsâh – naw-saw’, naw-saw’ – A primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, absolutely and relatively:

H7272 – רֶגֶל – regel – reh’-gel– From H7270; a foot ((Plus many other definitions. Remember our studies of Revelation 19:16 about a tattoo on Yeshua’ thigh? This is the same word.))

This “lifting up his feet” means more than just walking. It means to pick up your feet and walk in a rejoicing attitude. In our modern English it means the exact opposite of “dragging your feet”. Ya’aqob is on his way to find a wife, to get married and return to his parents tent. Can’t you just imagine the kind of woman that Ya’aqob is imagining to be his wife? Continue reading Bereshith (Genesis) 29 — “Picking up your feet” →

Lesson date: 08/02/5858AA

Last week we began to see the uneasy relationship that was building between Leah and Rahel. Leah felt unloved and prayed to YHVH to have children in the hope that her husband, Ya’aqob, would love her more. She was given 4 sons before she stopped bearing.

Gen 29:31 And יהוה saw that Lě’ah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but Raḥěl was barren.

H8130 – שָׂנֵא – śânê’ – saw-nay‘ – A primitive root; to hate (personally): – enemy, foe, (be) hate (-ful, -r), odious, X utterly.

Mal 1:2 “I have loved you,” said יהוה. “But you asked, ‘In what way have You loved us?’ “Was not Ěsaw Ya‛aqoḇ’s brother?” declares יהוה. “And I love Ya‛aqoḇ,

Mal 1:3 but I have hated Ěsaw, and have laid waste his mountains and his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness.”

Let me point out that in Scripture we never see it said that Abraham loved Sarah and we only see it said one time that Yitzak loved Ribqah Continue reading Bereshith (Genesis) 30 →

Lesson date: 3/3/5855AA

Verses 1-2 – Enter in jealousy: Pro 27:4  Wrath is cruel and displeasure overwhelming, But who is able to stand before jealousy?

We now see that Ya’aqob has prospered and Laban has not and now Laban’s sons accuse Ya’aqob of stealing their father’s wealth.

Verse 3 – YHVH speaks to Ya’aqob and tells him it is time to go home and assures him that He is with Ya’aqob.

Verses 4-16 – We see Ya’aqob preparing his wives for the journey and in doing so we see bitterness on the part of the sisters toward their father. They rightly point out their father sold them to Ya’aqob as payment for his labor for 14 years. Evidently, with the blessings turning toward Ya’aqob instead of Laban, Continue reading Bereshith (Genesis) 31 →

Lesson date: 03/10/5855AA

In Chapter 31 we see a beautiful picture of a covenant being formed between Laban and Ya’aqob. Using stones, they erected an edifice to commemorate the covenant, they slaughter an animal(s), ate a meal and had a witness: H5707 – עֵד – ‛êd –  ayd – From H5749 contracted; concretely a witness; abstractly testimony; specifically a recorder, that is, prince: – witness.

It is a beautiful example of our covenant with YHVH, we have a stone (Eph. 2:20), we have a slaughtering (Eph. 5:2, Heb 9:26,10:12) and we have a meal (Mat. 26:26-29).

Verses 1-2 – “Ya’aqob went on his way”: way = H1870 – דֶּרֶךְ – derek –  deh’-rek – From H1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively a course of life or mode of action,

If our way is also Yah’s way it is the true way. (John 14:6) In going along his way Ya’aqob encounters angels of Elohim, this could be an important sign that he was on the right way. Continue reading Bereshith (Genesis) 32 →

Lesson date: 03/17/5855AA

Verse 1-2 – It may not look like it but Ya’aqob is splitting his camp into four parts; one for Leah, one Rahel, one for Bilhah and one for Zilpah, not unlike the military formation that the Children of Yisrael used when they came out of Mitsrayim or camp around the tabernacle. Remember, Benyamin has not yet been born.

Verse 3 – We see Ya’aqob, because of his maturity in the Ruach going out in front of the women and children, approaching his brother, and bowing 7 times..

Verse 4 – Was it because of Ya’aqob’s humbling himself that we see Esaw  running to embrace his brother, hug him and kiss him.

Verses 5-7 – Ya’aqob now introduces his family to Esaw. Continue reading Bereshith (Genesis) 33 →

Lesson date: 03/17/5855AA

Verse 1 – Dinah((Judgement or Justice/H1783)), of the house of Ya’aqob went out to see the daughters of the land. Instead of being contented with the women of the house of Ya’aqob she wanted to make friends with the young women of the world. Big lesson here. There are two verbs used in relation to Dinah, Yatsa H3318 – went out or departed for; and ra’ah H7200 – to see, observe, have an experience. Both of these verbs are written in the Qal active case meaning that she had a reason for wanting to go out and see.

Verse 2 – Shekem ((back or shoulder)) the son of Hamor((an ass)) the Hivvite ((villager)) raped Dinah. Do we see a problem here? Reminds me of a “certain rich man” in Luke 16:19.

Verses 3-4 – There is an old saying  back in the old country, you know, Louisiana, “he asked for her hand after he had everything else.” In a way, I kind of feel sorry for Shekem. He committed a sin/trespass against a set-apart people and now Continue reading Bereshith (Genesis) 34 →

Lesson date: 3/24/5855AA

Verse 1 – Dwell = H3427 – יָשַׁב – yâshab – yaw-shab‘ – to site down, dwell, to marry. It is easy to see that yashab means more than dwell. The true meaning behind yashab is to sit down at the feet of (in order to learn): Act 22:3  “I am indeed a Yehuḏite, having been born in Tarsos of Kilikia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamli’ĕl, having been instructed according to the exactness of the Torah of our fathers, being ardent for Elohim, as you all are today,

This is the full meaning of yashab and it is the root word for the Hebrew word “yeshiva” which means school. In essence YHVH told Ya’aqob “Return to My House (Beyt El) and sit down at my feet and I will teach you.” Continue reading Bereshith (Genesis) 35 →

Lesson date: 4/2/5855AA

Verse 1 – Geneology = toledoth – H8435 – generations, bring forth

Verses 2-3 – Adah – H5711 – ornament, adorned- was the daughter of Alon – H356 terebinth, mighty – Hittite – H2850 – descendant of Heth, sons of terror. Esau, violated the instructions of his parents and married women of Kena’an after selling his birthright. His first wife was “adorned with the mighty sons of terror”.

Oholibamah – H173 – tent of the high place – daughter of Anah – H6034 – answer:  who was the daughter of Tsibon – H6649 – colored, varigated, diverse colors – the Hivvite – H2340 – villager, lived near Mt. Hermon = the tent of the high place is the answer of diverse colors from a village of Mt. Hermon.

Basemath – H1315 – spice, perfume, – daughter of Yishma’el – H3458 – El will hear – the sister of Nebayoth – H5032 – heights. (( Remember, Mt. Hermon is the area now known as the “Golan Heights”’.)) Continue reading Bereshith (Genesis) 36 →

Lesson date: 4/9/5855AA

Verse 1 – Once again a chapter referring to Yisra’el begins with the word “Yashab” which means “and he dwelt”. Remember, “yashab” is the root word for “Yeshiva” which is the Hebrew word for school with the implication that you sat at the feet of your teacher: Act 22:3  “I am indeed a Yehuḏite, having been born in Tarsos of Kilikia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamli’ĕl, having been instructed according to the exactness of the Torah of our fathers, being ardent for Elohim, as you all are today,

Another very interesting word, which may seem out of place, is the word for “sojourning” = magur – H4033 – which comes for “gur” – H1481 – which means to be a stranger. But how could they be a stranger in a land that was given to them by the Most High? Continue reading Bereshith (Genesis) 37 →