Thematic Bible: Instances of infelicity in
Thematic Bible
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Of jacob, the bigamic jealousy between leah and rachel
Jacob also married Rachel, since he loved her. He served Laban another full seven years' work for Rachel. Later, the LORD noticed that Leah was being neglected, so he made her fertile, while Rachel remained childless. Leah conceived, bore a son, and named him Reuben, because she was saying, "The LORD had looked on my torture, so now my husband will love me." read more.
Later, she conceived again, bore a son, and declared, "Because the LORD heard that I'm neglected, he gave me this one, too." So she named him Simeon. Later, she conceived again and said, "This time my husband will become attached to me, now that I've borne him three sons." So he named him Levi.
Later, she conceived again, bore a son, and declared, "Because the LORD heard that I'm neglected, he gave me this one, too." So she named him Simeon. Later, she conceived again and said, "This time my husband will become attached to me, now that I've borne him three sons." So he named him Levi.
Rachel noticed that she was not bearing children for Jacob, so because she envied her sister Leah, she told Jacob, "If you don't give me sons, I'm going to die!" That made Jacob angry with Rachel, so he asked her, "Can I take God's place, who has not allowed you to conceive?" Rachel responded, "Here's my handmaid Bilhah. Go have sex with her. She can bear children on my knees so I can have children through her." read more.
So Rachel gave Jacob her woman servant Bilhah to be his wife, and Jacob had sex with her. Bilhah conceived and bore a son for Jacob. Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me! He has heard my voice and has given me a son." Therefore, she named him Dan. Rachel's servant conceived again and bore a second son for Jacob, so Rachel said, "I've been through a mighty struggle with my sister and won." She named him Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children, she took her woman servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Leah's servant Zilpah bore a son to Jacob, and Leah exclaimed, "How fortunate!" So she named him Gad. Later, Leah's servant Zilpah bore a second son for Jacob. She said, "How happy I am, because women will call me happy!" So she named him Asher. Some time later, during the wheat harvest season, Reuben went out and found some mandrakes in the field and brought them back for his mother Leah. Then Rachel told Leah, "Please give me your son's mandrakes." In response, Leah asked her, "Wasn't it enough that you've taken away my husband? Now you also want to take my son's mandrakes!" But Rachel replied, "Okay, let's let Jacob sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went to meet him and told him, "You're having sex with me tonight. I traded my son's mandrakes for you!" So he slept with her that night. God heard what Leah had said, so she conceived and bore a fifth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has paid me for giving my servant to my husband as his wife." So she named him Issachar. Later, Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has given me a good gift. This time my husband will exalt me, because I've borne him six sons." So she named him Zebulun. After that, Leah conceived, bore a daughter, and named her Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb, so she conceived, bore a son, and remarked, "God has removed my shame." Because she had been asking, "May God give me another son," she named him Joseph. After Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob told Laban, "Send me off so that I can go back to my place and country.
So Rachel gave Jacob her woman servant Bilhah to be his wife, and Jacob had sex with her. Bilhah conceived and bore a son for Jacob. Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me! He has heard my voice and has given me a son." Therefore, she named him Dan. Rachel's servant conceived again and bore a second son for Jacob, so Rachel said, "I've been through a mighty struggle with my sister and won." She named him Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children, she took her woman servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Leah's servant Zilpah bore a son to Jacob, and Leah exclaimed, "How fortunate!" So she named him Gad. Later, Leah's servant Zilpah bore a second son for Jacob. She said, "How happy I am, because women will call me happy!" So she named him Asher. Some time later, during the wheat harvest season, Reuben went out and found some mandrakes in the field and brought them back for his mother Leah. Then Rachel told Leah, "Please give me your son's mandrakes." In response, Leah asked her, "Wasn't it enough that you've taken away my husband? Now you also want to take my son's mandrakes!" But Rachel replied, "Okay, let's let Jacob sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went to meet him and told him, "You're having sex with me tonight. I traded my son's mandrakes for you!" So he slept with her that night. God heard what Leah had said, so she conceived and bore a fifth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has paid me for giving my servant to my husband as his wife." So she named him Issachar. Later, Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has given me a good gift. This time my husband will exalt me, because I've borne him six sons." So she named him Zebulun. After that, Leah conceived, bore a daughter, and named her Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb, so she conceived, bore a son, and remarked, "God has removed my shame." Because she had been asking, "May God give me another son," she named him Joseph. After Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob told Laban, "Send me off so that I can go back to my place and country.
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Of abraham, on account of hagar
Then Sarai told Abram, "My suffering is your fault! I gave you my servant so you could have sex with her, and when she discovered that she was pregnant, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!"
Verse Concepts
she told Abraham, "Throw out this slave girl, along with her son, because this slave's son will never be a co-heir with my son Isaac!" Abraham was very troubled about what was being said about his son,
Family » Instances of infelicity in » David and michal
As the ark of the LORD was coming into the City of David, Saul's daughter Michal was peering out a window, watching King David jumping and dancing in the LORD's presence, and she despised him in her heart.
Verse Concepts
When David returned to bless his household, Saul's daughter Michal came out to meet him and called out, "How the king of Israel honored himself today by undressing himself right in front of his women staff members, just like any pervert would dare to expose himself!" But David replied to Michal, "It was in front of the LORD, who appointed me to replace your father and his entire household by selecting me as Commander-in-Chief over Israel, the people of the LORD, that I danced in front of the LORD. I'm going to act more shamelessly than this, even to humbling myself in my own eyes. Now as to the women staff members about whom you have spoken, they are to hold me in honor!" read more.
And Saul's daughter Michal bore no children from that day on until the day she died.
And Saul's daughter Michal bore no children from that day on until the day she died.
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Ahasuerus, on account of vashti's refusing to appear before his drunken advisorss
A week later, when the king was under the influence of all that wine, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti to the king, wearing the royal crown to display her beauty to the people and the officials, since she was lovely to look at. Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's order that was brought by the eunuchs. read more.
Then the king flew into a rage. The king spoke to the wise men who understood the times, for it was the king's custom to consult all those who understood law and justice. (His closest advisors were: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who had direct access to the king and who held the highest rank in the kingdom.) The king inquired, "According to law, what should be done to Queen Vashti because she did not obey the order of King Ahasuerus that was delivered by the eunuchs?" Then Memucan replied in the presence of the king and his officials, "It is not the king alone whom Vashti has wronged, but rather all of the officials and all of the people who are in the provinces of King Ahasuerus. When the report about the queen goes out to all the women, it will cause them to despise their husbands. They'll say, "King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she wouldn't come.' This very day the wives of the officials of Persia and Media who hear the report about the queen will speak in the same way to all the officials of the king, and there will be more than enough contempt and anger. If it seems good to the king, let a royal decree go out from him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Ahasuerus. Let the king give her royal position to another woman who is better than she. When the edict of the king that he issues is heard throughout his kingdom for it's vast then all the women will give honor to their husbands, from the greatest to the least important." This seemed like a good idea to the king and his officials, so the king did what Memucan suggested. He sent letters to all the provinces of the king, written in the script of that province, and to each people in their own language, ordering that every man should be the master in his house and speak the language of his own people.
Then the king flew into a rage. The king spoke to the wise men who understood the times, for it was the king's custom to consult all those who understood law and justice. (His closest advisors were: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who had direct access to the king and who held the highest rank in the kingdom.) The king inquired, "According to law, what should be done to Queen Vashti because she did not obey the order of King Ahasuerus that was delivered by the eunuchs?" Then Memucan replied in the presence of the king and his officials, "It is not the king alone whom Vashti has wronged, but rather all of the officials and all of the people who are in the provinces of King Ahasuerus. When the report about the queen goes out to all the women, it will cause them to despise their husbands. They'll say, "King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she wouldn't come.' This very day the wives of the officials of Persia and Media who hear the report about the queen will speak in the same way to all the officials of the king, and there will be more than enough contempt and anger. If it seems good to the king, let a royal decree go out from him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Ahasuerus. Let the king give her royal position to another woman who is better than she. When the edict of the king that he issues is heard throughout his kingdom for it's vast then all the women will give honor to their husbands, from the greatest to the least important." This seemed like a good idea to the king and his officials, so the king did what Memucan suggested. He sent letters to all the provinces of the king, written in the script of that province, and to each people in their own language, ordering that every man should be the master in his house and speak the language of his own people.
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Of isaac, on account of the disagreement between jacob and esau
Then prepare some food, just the way I like it, and bring it to me so that I can eat and bless you before I die." Now Rebekah overheard Isaac while he was speaking to his son Esau. When Esau had gone out to the field to hunt and bring in some game, Rebekah gave these instructions to her son Jacob: "Quick! Pay attention!" she said. "I heard your father talking to your brother Esau. He told him, read more.
"Bring me some game and then prepare some food for me so I can eat and bless you in the presence of the LORD before I die.' So now, my son, listen to what I have to say and pay attention to what I'm about to tell you. Go to the flock and bring me two healthy young goats. I'll prepare some delicious food for your father, just the way he loves it. Then you are to take it to your father so that he can eat and bless you before he dies." "But look!" Jacob pointed out to his mother Rebekah, "My brother Esau is a hairy man, but I'm smooth skinned. My father might touch me and he'll realize that I'm deceiving him. Then, I'll bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing." "My son," she replied, "let any curse against you fall on me. Just listen to me, then go and get them for me." So out he went, got them, and brought them to his mother, who then prepared some delicious food, just the way his father liked it. Then Rebekah took some garments that belonged to her elder son Esau the best ones available and put them on her younger son Jacob. She put some goat skins over his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. Then she handed the delicious food and bread that she had prepared to her son Jacob, who went to his father and said, "My father"" "It's me!" he replied. "Which one are you, my son?" "I'm Esau, your firstborn!" Jacob told his father. "I've done what you asked, so please sit up and eat what I caught, so you can bless me." "How did you get it so quickly, my son?" Isaac asked. Jacob responded, ""because the LORD your God made me successful." So Isaac told Jacob, "Come here, my son, so I can feel you and know for sure whether or not you're my son Esau." So Jacob approached his father, who felt him and said, "It's Jacob's voice, but Esau's hands." He didn't recognize Jacob, because his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau, so Isaac blessed him. He asked, "Are you really my son Esau?" "I am," Jacob replied. "Come closer to me," Isaac replied, "so I can eat some of the game, my son, and then bless you." So Jacob came closer, and Isaac ate. Jacob also brought wine so his father could drink. After this, Jacob's father Isaac told him, "Come closer and kiss me, my son." So Jacob drew closer to kiss him. When Isaac smelled the scent of his son's clothes, he blessed him and said, "How my son's scent is the fragrance of the field that the LORD has blessed. May the LORD grant you dew from the skies, and from the fertile land; may he grant you abundant grain and fresh wine. May people serve and bow before you; may you be master over your brothers; may your mother's sons bow before you; may anyone who curses you be cursed; and may anyone who blesses you be blessed." Just after Isaac had finished blessing Jacob and Jacob had left his father Isaac, Jacob's brother Esau returned from hunting, prepared some delicious food, brought it to his father, and told him, "Can you get up now, father, so you may eat some of your son's game and then bless me?" But his father Isaac asked him, "Who are you?" "I'm Esau, your firstborn son," he answered. At this, Isaac began to tremble violently. "Who then," he asked, "hunted some game and brought it to me to eat before you arrived, so that I've blessed him? Indeed, he is blessed." When Esau realized what his father Isaac was saying, he began to wail out loud bitterly. "Bless me," he cried, "even me, too, my father!" Isaac replied, "Your brother came here deceitfully and stole your blessing." Then he said, "Isn't his name rightly called Jacob?" Esau asked. "He has circumvented me this second time. First, he took away my birthright, and now, look how he also stole my blessing." Then he added, "Haven't you reserved a blessing for me?" In response, Isaac told Esau, "Look! I've predicted that he's going to become your master, and I've assigned all his brothers to be his servants. What then can I do for you, my son?" Then Esau implored his father, "Don't you have even one blessing for me, my father? Bless me, even me too, my father!" Then Esau lifted his voice and wept bitterly. At this, his father Isaac replied to him, "Look! Away from the fertile land will be your dwellings; away from the dew of the skies above. By your sword you'll live; but you'll serve your brother. But when you've become restless, you'll break off his yoke from your neck." So Esau harbored animosity toward Jacob because of the way his father had blessed him. Esau kept saying to himself, "The time to mourn for my father is very near. That's when I'm going to kill my brother Jacob." Eventually, what Rebekah's older son Esau had been saying was reported to her, so she sent for her younger son Jacob and warned him, "Look! Your brother is planning to get even by killing you. Son, you'd better do what I say! Get up, run off to my brother Laban in Haran, and stay there with him a few days until your brother's fury subsides. After that happens and he has forgotten what you've done to him, I'll send for you so you can return from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?" Rebekah also told herself, "Heth's daughters are making me tired of living. If Jacob marries one of Heth's daughters, and she turns out to be just like these other local women, what kind of life would there be left for me?"
"Bring me some game and then prepare some food for me so I can eat and bless you in the presence of the LORD before I die.' So now, my son, listen to what I have to say and pay attention to what I'm about to tell you. Go to the flock and bring me two healthy young goats. I'll prepare some delicious food for your father, just the way he loves it. Then you are to take it to your father so that he can eat and bless you before he dies." "But look!" Jacob pointed out to his mother Rebekah, "My brother Esau is a hairy man, but I'm smooth skinned. My father might touch me and he'll realize that I'm deceiving him. Then, I'll bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing." "My son," she replied, "let any curse against you fall on me. Just listen to me, then go and get them for me." So out he went, got them, and brought them to his mother, who then prepared some delicious food, just the way his father liked it. Then Rebekah took some garments that belonged to her elder son Esau the best ones available and put them on her younger son Jacob. She put some goat skins over his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. Then she handed the delicious food and bread that she had prepared to her son Jacob, who went to his father and said, "My father"" "It's me!" he replied. "Which one are you, my son?" "I'm Esau, your firstborn!" Jacob told his father. "I've done what you asked, so please sit up and eat what I caught, so you can bless me." "How did you get it so quickly, my son?" Isaac asked. Jacob responded, ""because the LORD your God made me successful." So Isaac told Jacob, "Come here, my son, so I can feel you and know for sure whether or not you're my son Esau." So Jacob approached his father, who felt him and said, "It's Jacob's voice, but Esau's hands." He didn't recognize Jacob, because his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau, so Isaac blessed him. He asked, "Are you really my son Esau?" "I am," Jacob replied. "Come closer to me," Isaac replied, "so I can eat some of the game, my son, and then bless you." So Jacob came closer, and Isaac ate. Jacob also brought wine so his father could drink. After this, Jacob's father Isaac told him, "Come closer and kiss me, my son." So Jacob drew closer to kiss him. When Isaac smelled the scent of his son's clothes, he blessed him and said, "How my son's scent is the fragrance of the field that the LORD has blessed. May the LORD grant you dew from the skies, and from the fertile land; may he grant you abundant grain and fresh wine. May people serve and bow before you; may you be master over your brothers; may your mother's sons bow before you; may anyone who curses you be cursed; and may anyone who blesses you be blessed." Just after Isaac had finished blessing Jacob and Jacob had left his father Isaac, Jacob's brother Esau returned from hunting, prepared some delicious food, brought it to his father, and told him, "Can you get up now, father, so you may eat some of your son's game and then bless me?" But his father Isaac asked him, "Who are you?" "I'm Esau, your firstborn son," he answered. At this, Isaac began to tremble violently. "Who then," he asked, "hunted some game and brought it to me to eat before you arrived, so that I've blessed him? Indeed, he is blessed." When Esau realized what his father Isaac was saying, he began to wail out loud bitterly. "Bless me," he cried, "even me, too, my father!" Isaac replied, "Your brother came here deceitfully and stole your blessing." Then he said, "Isn't his name rightly called Jacob?" Esau asked. "He has circumvented me this second time. First, he took away my birthright, and now, look how he also stole my blessing." Then he added, "Haven't you reserved a blessing for me?" In response, Isaac told Esau, "Look! I've predicted that he's going to become your master, and I've assigned all his brothers to be his servants. What then can I do for you, my son?" Then Esau implored his father, "Don't you have even one blessing for me, my father? Bless me, even me too, my father!" Then Esau lifted his voice and wept bitterly. At this, his father Isaac replied to him, "Look! Away from the fertile land will be your dwellings; away from the dew of the skies above. By your sword you'll live; but you'll serve your brother. But when you've become restless, you'll break off his yoke from your neck." So Esau harbored animosity toward Jacob because of the way his father had blessed him. Esau kept saying to himself, "The time to mourn for my father is very near. That's when I'm going to kill my brother Jacob." Eventually, what Rebekah's older son Esau had been saying was reported to her, so she sent for her younger son Jacob and warned him, "Look! Your brother is planning to get even by killing you. Son, you'd better do what I say! Get up, run off to my brother Laban in Haran, and stay there with him a few days until your brother's fury subsides. After that happens and he has forgotten what you've done to him, I'll send for you so you can return from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?" Rebekah also told herself, "Heth's daughters are making me tired of living. If Jacob marries one of Heth's daughters, and she turns out to be just like these other local women, what kind of life would there be left for me?"
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Moses and zipporah
Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin, and touched Moses' feet with it, saying while doing so, ""because you are a bridegroom of blood to me." Then the LORD withdrew from him, and she said, ""a bridegroom of blood because of circumcision."
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Elkanah, on account of bigamic feuds
On the day when Elkanah offered sacrifices, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, but he would give twice as much to Hannah because he loved her. Now the LORD had closed her womb. Her rival would provoke her severely so that she complained loudly because the LORD had closed her womb. read more.
Elkanah would do this year after year, as often as Hannah went up to the house of the LORD. Likewise, Peninnah would provoke her, and Hannah would cry and would not eat.
Elkanah would do this year after year, as often as Hannah went up to the house of the LORD. Likewise, Peninnah would provoke her, and Hannah would cry and would not eat.