Free Bible Commentary
“Genesis 35:23-29”
Categories: Genesis“Now there were twelve sons of Jacob—the sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, then Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Zebulun; the sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin; and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naphtali; and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maid: Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram. Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. Isaac breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, an old man of ripe age; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.”
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“Now there were twelve sons of Jacob…” (verse 22) “With the birth of Benjamin, the family of Jacob is complete, and it is appropriate to list it in full, particularly since the next chapter is to feature the genealogies of Esau. The roster also indicates that, despite Reuben’s misdeed, the unity of the family remained intact. The listing also specifies through whom the blessing of verse 11, ‘Be fertile and increase,’ is to be realized and through whom the people of Israel come into being. Each son listed is the…founding father of a tribe. In short, the list constitutes a fitting conclusion to the cycle of independent Jacob narratives.” (Nahum Sarna)
“The sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, then Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Zebulun.” (verse 23) After the first four of Jacob’s sons, the names are not listed in the order of their births. There are four lists of children in this passage, each based upon the mother who gave birth to them. The first list begins with Israel’s first wife and the children Leah bore to him. Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah are the first four in order, and Issachar and Zebulun are his ninth and tenth respectively.
“The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.” (verse 24) The sons of Rachel are listed second because she was technically his second wife, even though she was first in rank in the heart and mind of the husband who cherished her. Joseph and Benjamin are the last two sons born to Jacob (eleventh and twelfth respectively), and even though verse 26 states that, “these are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram,” it is a given that Benjamin was the single son born in the Land of Promise. We learned from yesterday’s reading that Benjamin was born somewhere between Bethel and Bethlehem, at the place where Israel set up a stone pillar over the grave of his beloved (verses 16-20).
“And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naphtali; and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maid: Gad and Asher.” (verses 25-26) After Leah stopped bearing children for a while and her sister was still infertile, Rachel gave her maid Bilhah to her husband to bear children for her “on her knees” (Genesis 30:3). The products of that relationship were Dan and Naphtali, Israel’s fifth and sixth son respectively. Then the heated sense of sibling rivalry prompted Leah to give her maid Zilpah to her husband as Rachel had previously done. With Zilpah Jacob begat his seventh and eight sons, Gad and Asher.
“Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.” (verse 27) “No mention being made of his mother, it is very probable she was dead; and Isaac being alone, and very old…he might send for Jacob to come with his family, and be with him; for it can hardly be thought that this was the first time of Jacob's visiting his father since he came into the land, of Canaan, which must be about ten years; but as yet he had not come with his family to him, and in order to abide with him… Mamre was a plain, so called from the name of a man, a friend and confederate of Abraham, Genesis 13:18; where, or near to which, stood a city, called Kirjath Arbah, or the city of the four, Arbah and his three sons; so that it might be called Tetrapolls, and was later called Hebron… Abraham and Isaac sojourned; lived good part of their days, see Genesis 13:18; it was about twenty miles from Bethlehem, and the tower of Eder, where Jacob was last.” (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible)
“Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. (verse 28) “He lived the longest of all the patriarchs, even five years longer than Abraham. He was a mild and quiet man, and these qualities probably contributed no little to his health and long life.” (Benson Commentary) “As Isaac was sixty when his sons were born, Jacob was one hundred and twenty years of age at his father’s death…” (Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers)
“Isaac breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, an old man of ripe age; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.” (verse 29) “Although it appears by computation that he did not die till many years after Joseph was sold into Egypt, and, indeed, not till about the time he was preferred there; yet his death is here recorded that his story might be finished, and the subsequent narrative proceed without interruption.” (Benson Commentary) It is heartwarming to know that Jacob and Esau had become mentally and emotionally mature enough to remain close enough to amicably handle their father’s funeral arrangements together. It is such a blessed thing when brothers live together in peace and harmony!
Please Read Genesis 36:1-8 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
-Louie Taylor
