Genesis 26-30

Genesis 26:8
Isaac was seen "fondling his wife Rebekah" after telling the Philistine king Abimelech that she was Isaac's sister. Apparently he still showed affection toward his wife, even after their sons were grown.

Genesis 27 Observations

• vv. 18, 31 - The ease with which the people of old made food from scratch. Rebekah seems to quickly fix a meal from two kids; Esau hunts, cleans and cooks the food for his father. Reminiscent of Abraham and Sarah's hospitality for the 3 messengers of God. How did they manage to wait for as long as it must have taken to prepare that food? It must have been very tough and gamy.
• v. 25 - Isaac couldn't tell the difference between goat and wild game. Had age dulled his sense of taste, too?
• v. 39 - Why did Isaac pronounce a curse on Esau instead of a blessing? Was that all he had left?
  

Genesis 28

• v. 8 - Esau seems to be marrying a daughter of Ishmael out of spite. This, then, involves a joining of Ishmael and Esau – the rejected sons.
• v. 17 - After his dream, Jacob was afraid. I like his declaration (NRSV): "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
• v. 20 - Is Jacob's vow conditional?

IF God

• will be with me
• will keep me in this way that I go
• will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace

THEN

• the LORD shall be my God
• this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house
• of all that you give me I will surely give one-tenth to you.

Genesis 29-30
To be a usurper, Jacob seems a very patient man. He waits 7 years for Rachel, then seemingly without resentment, works for another 7 after he is deceived into marrying Leah instead. He does get angry with Rachel in chapter 30 when she blames him for not giving her children, but meekly (?) takes both handmaids at his wives' requests.

God's involvement in this childbearing saga is puzzling:
29:30 - "When the LORD saw Leah was unloved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren." 30:17 - After Leah gave Rachel mandrakes in exchange for a night with Jacob, God heeded Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son.
30:22 - "God remembered Rachel, and God heeded her and opened her womb."

30:37-43
Jacob's way of bypassing Laban's effort to once again cheat Jacob out of that for which he had worked. This seems to be miraculous, yet God's hand is not mentioned in this account.