Jacob’s Wealth: An Examination into the Nature and Role of Material Possessions in the Jacob-Cycle (Gen 25:19–35:29)

379 Pages·2011·1.521 MB·English

by  Paul D. Vrolijk

Jacob’s Wealth
Supplements
to
Vetus Testamentum
Edited by the Board of the Quarterly
h.m. barstad – r.p. gordon – a. hurvitz – j. joosten
g.n. knoppers – a. van der kooij – a. lemaire – c.a. newsom
h. spieckermann – j. trebolle barrera – h.g.m. williamson
VOLUME 146
Jacob’s Wealth
An Examination into the Nature and Role of Material
Possessions in the Jacob-Cycle (Gen 25:19–35:29)
By
Paul D. Vrolijk
LEIDEN • BOSTON
2011
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Vrolijk, Paul.
Jacob’s wealth : an examination into the nature and role of material possessions in
the Jacob-cycle (Gen 25:19–35:29) / by Paul Vrolijk.
p. cm. — (Supplements to Vetus Testamentum, ISSN 0083-5889 ; v. 146)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-90-04-20329-7 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Wealth—Biblical teaching.
2. Poverty—Biblical teaching. 3. Jacob (Biblical patriarch) 4. Bible. O.T. Genesis
XXV, 19–35, 29—Criticism, interpretation, etc. I. Title. II. Series.
BS1199.W35V76 2011
222’.11083394—dc22
2011008803
ISSN 0083-5889
ISBN 978 90 04 20329 7
Copyright 2011 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Global Oriental,
Hotei Publishing, IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without
prior written permission from the publisher.
Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by
Koninklijke Brill NV provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to
The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910,
Danvers, MA 01923, USA.
Fees are subject to change.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever
Psalms 146:5–6

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments .............................................................................. xi
Abbreviations ..................................................................................... xiii
Chapter One Introduction ............................................................ 1
1.1 Rationale for This Study ..................................................... 1
1.2 Literature Survey .................................................................. 7
1.2.1 Wealth and Poverty ................................................ 7
1.2.2 Commentaries on Genesis ..................................... 10
1.2.3 Old Testament Ethics ............................................. 11
1.2.4 Monographs on Jacob ............................................ 13
1.2.5 Monographs on Related Topics ............................ 15
1.2.6 Other Approaches ................................................... 16
1.2.7 Conclusions .............................................................. 17
1.3 Methodology ......................................................................... 18
1.3.1 What Sort of Presuppositions? ............................. 19
1.3.2 What Sort of Text? ................................................. 21
1.3.3 What Sort of Meaning? .......................................... 28
1.3.4 What Sort of Method(s)? ....................................... 32
1.4 Summary ............................................................................... 34
Chapter Two Jacob In Canaan I (Gen 25–28) .......................... 37
2.1 Introduction .......................................................................... 37
2.2 Introducing Esau and Jacob (Gen 25:19–34) .................. 39
2.2.1 Introduction ............................................................. 39
2.2.2 Commentary ............................................................ 40
2.3 Isaac’s Wealth (Gen 26:1–33) ............................................ 54
2.3.1 Introduction ............................................................. 54
2.3.2 Commentary ............................................................ 61
2.3.3 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 74
2.4 Isaac Blesses Jacob (Gen 26:34–28:9) ............................... 79
2.4.1 Introduction ............................................................. 79
2.4.2 Commentary ............................................................ 81
2.4.3 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 99
viii contents
2.5 Jacob Encounters God (Gen 28:10–22) ........................... 106
2.5.1 Introduction ............................................................. 106
2.5.2 Commentary ............................................................ 108
2.5.3 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 121
2.6 Reflections on the Boundary ............................................. 123
Chapter Three Jacob Outside Canaan (Gen 29–31) ................. 125
3.1 Introduction .......................................................................... 125
3.2 Jacob’s Arrival in Haran (Gen 29:1–14) .......................... 126
3.2.1 Commentary ............................................................ 126
3.2.2 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 136
3.3 Jacob Marries Two Sisters (Gen 29:15–30) ..................... 136
3.3.1 Introduction ............................................................. 136
3.3.2 Commentary ............................................................ 138
3.3.3 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 147
3.4 Jacob’s Children (Gen 29:31–30:24) ................................. 151
3.4.1 Introduction ............................................................. 151
3.4.2 Commentary ............................................................ 152
3.4.3 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 162
3.5 Jacob’s Wealth (Gen 30:25–31:1) ...................................... 164
3.5.1 Introduction ............................................................. 164
3.5.2 Commentary ............................................................ 165
3.5.3 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 181
3.6 Jacob’s Flight (Gen 31:2–32:1) ........................................... 184
3.6.1 Introduction ............................................................. 184
3.6.2 Commentary ............................................................ 185
3.6.3 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 206
3.7 Summary ............................................................................... 207
Chapter Four Jacob In Canaan II (Gen 32–35) ........................ 213
4.1 Introduction .......................................................................... 213
4.2 Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau (Gen 32:2–22) ................. 214
4.2.1 Introduction ............................................................. 214
4.2.2 Commentary ............................................................ 215
4.2.3 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 227
4.3 Jacob Wrestles with ‘a Man’ (Gen 32:23–33) ................. 228
4.3.1 Introduction ............................................................. 228
4.3.2 Commentary ............................................................ 230
4.3.3 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 241
contents ix
4.4 Jacob Meets Esau (Gen 33:1–20) ...................................... 242
4.4.1 Introduction ............................................................. 242
4.4.2 Commentary ............................................................ 244
4.4.3 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 258
4.5 Jacob’s Family and the Shechemites (Gen 34) ............... 259
4.5.1 Introduction ............................................................. 259
4.5.2 Commentary ............................................................ 262
4.5.3 Concluding Remarks .............................................. 279
4.6 The End of the Jacob-Cycle (Gen 35) .............................. 283
4.6.1 Introduction ............................................................. 283
4.6.2 Commentary ............................................................ 284
4.7 Conclusions .......................................................................... 290
Chapter Five Conclusions ............................................................. 293
5.1 Summary of Findings .......................................................... 293
5.1.1 A Pervasive Feature of the Narrative .................. 294
5.1.2 Best Understood in the Context of Various
Relationships ............................................................ 295
5.1.3 Source of Conflict ................................................... 296
5.1.4 Integral Part of Conflict Resolution ..................... 297
5.2 Material Possessions within the Larger Context
of Genesis .............................................................................. 298
5.2.1 The Relationship between Blessing and Material
Possessions ............................................................... 299
5.2.2 Material Possessions in View of the Patriarchal
Promises ................................................................... 301
5.2.3 ‘Story as Torah’? ...................................................... 303
5.3 Methodological Reflections ................................................ 304
Appendix A Nouns and Verbs Related to Material
Possessions in Gen 12–50 ............................................................ 307
Appendix B The Relationship between Blessing and
Possessions in Gen 12–50 ............................................................ 310
Bibliography ........................................................................................ 325
Author Index ...................................................................................... 343
Scripture Index ................................................................................... 351