Thematic Bible: Instances of infelicity in
Thematic Bible
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Of jacob, the bigamic jealousy between leah and rachel
Then he also went in to Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet another seven years. When Yahweh saw that Leah [was] unloved he opened her womb, but Rachel [was] barren. Then Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, "Because Yahweh has noticed my misery, that I [am] unloved. Now my husband will love me." read more.
And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, "[It is] because Yahweh has heard that I [am] unloved that he gave me this [son] also." And she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. Then she said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, for I have borne him three sons." Therefore, she called his name Levi.
And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, "[It is] because Yahweh has heard that I [am] unloved that he gave me this [son] also." And she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. Then she said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, for I have borne him three sons." Therefore, she called his name Levi.
When Rachel saw that she could not bear children to Jacob, Rachel envied her sister. And she said to Jacob, "Give me children--if not, I will die!" And Jacob {became angry} with Rachel. And he said, "[Am] I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?" Then she said, "Here [is] my servant girl Bilhah; go in to her that she may bear children {as my surrogate}. Then I will even {have children} by her." read more.
Then she gave him Bilhah, her female servant, as a wife, and Jacob went in to her And Bilhah conceived and gave birth to a son for Jacob. Then Rachel said, "God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan. And Bilhah, Rachel's servant, conceived again and bore a second son to Jacob. And Rachel said, "I have struggled a mighty struggle with my sister and have prevailed." And she called his name Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took Zilpah her female servant and gave her to Jacob as a wife. And Zilpah, the female slave of Leah, bore a son to Jacob. Then Leah said, "Good fortune!" And she called his name Gad. And Zilpah, Leah's female servant, bore a second son to Jacob. Then Leah said, "How happy [am] I! For women have called me happy." So she called his name Asher. And in the days of the wheat harvest, Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and he brought them to Leah his mother. And Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." And she said to her, "[Is] your taking my husband [such] a small [thing] that you will also take the mandrakes of my son?" Then Rachel said, "Then he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him. And she said, "Come in to me, for {I have hired} you with my son's mandrakes." And he slept with her that night. And God listened to Leah and she conceived and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has given [me] my wage since I gave my servant girl to my husband." And she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob. And Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good gift. This time my husband will acknowledge me, because I bore him six sons." And she called his name Zebulun. And afterward she gave birth to a daughter. And she called her name Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel and listened to her, and God opened her womb. And she conceived and gave birth to a son. And she said, "God has taken away my disgrace." And she called his name Joseph, saying, "Yahweh has added to me another son." And it happened [that] as soon as Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away that I may go to my place and my land.
Then she gave him Bilhah, her female servant, as a wife, and Jacob went in to her And Bilhah conceived and gave birth to a son for Jacob. Then Rachel said, "God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan. And Bilhah, Rachel's servant, conceived again and bore a second son to Jacob. And Rachel said, "I have struggled a mighty struggle with my sister and have prevailed." And she called his name Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took Zilpah her female servant and gave her to Jacob as a wife. And Zilpah, the female slave of Leah, bore a son to Jacob. Then Leah said, "Good fortune!" And she called his name Gad. And Zilpah, Leah's female servant, bore a second son to Jacob. Then Leah said, "How happy [am] I! For women have called me happy." So she called his name Asher. And in the days of the wheat harvest, Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and he brought them to Leah his mother. And Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." And she said to her, "[Is] your taking my husband [such] a small [thing] that you will also take the mandrakes of my son?" Then Rachel said, "Then he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him. And she said, "Come in to me, for {I have hired} you with my son's mandrakes." And he slept with her that night. And God listened to Leah and she conceived and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has given [me] my wage since I gave my servant girl to my husband." And she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob. And Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good gift. This time my husband will acknowledge me, because I bore him six sons." And she called his name Zebulun. And afterward she gave birth to a daughter. And she called her name Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel and listened to her, and God opened her womb. And she conceived and gave birth to a son. And she said, "God has taken away my disgrace." And she called his name Joseph, saying, "Yahweh has added to me another son." And it happened [that] as soon as Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away that I may go to my place and my land.
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Of abraham, on account of hagar
And Sarai said to Abram, "may my harm [be] upon you. {I had my servant sleep with you}, and [when] she saw that she had conceived, {she no longer respected me}. May Yahweh judge between me and you!"
Verse Concepts
Then she said to Abraham, "Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman will not be heir with my son, with Isaac." And the matter {displeased Abraham very much} on account of his son.
Family » Instances of infelicity in » David and michal
It happened that when the ark of Yahweh came [into] the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked down through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before Yahweh, and she despised him in her heart.
Verse Concepts
When David returned to bless his household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David. She said, "How the king of Israel honored himself today {by uncovering himself} before the eyes of the maids of his servants, {as the total exposure of a worthless one}." So David said to Michal, "[In the] presence of Yahweh who chose me {over} your father and {over} his household, to appoint me [as] leader over the people of Yahweh, over Israel, I have celebrated before Yahweh. I will demean myself again more than this, and I will be abased in my eyes, but with the maids whom you mentioned, with them I will be honored." read more.
So for Michal the daughter of Saul, she had no child until the day of her death.
So for Michal the daughter of Saul, she had no child until the day of her death.
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Ahasuerus, on account of vashti's refusing to appear before his drunken advisorss
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he said to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven of the eunuchs attending King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king {with her royal crown} to show the people and the officials her beauty, {for she was very attractive}. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the word of the king that [was] {conveyed by} the eunuchs. And the king became very angry, and his anger burned in him. read more.
And the king said to the wise men, {the ones who know the times}--for it [was] the procedure of the king before all those who knew law and rights; and those next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who {had access to the king} and sat first in the kingdom-- "According to [the] law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she has not done the command of King Ahasuerus {conveyed by} the eunuchs? And Memucan said before the king and the officials, "Not only has Queen Vashti done wrong to the king, but to all the officials and all of the people who [are] in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For this deed of the queen {will be known} to all the women, causing them {to look with contempt on their husbands}, as they will say, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him but she did not come!' This day the women of nobility from Persia and Media will respond to all the officials of the king and there will be no end to contempt and anger. {If it pleases} the king, let {a royal edict} go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of Persia and Media so that it will not be altered, that Vashti cannot come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to her neighbor who [is] better than she. And let the king's decree that he will make be proclaimed in all his kingdom, because it [is] vast and all the women will honor their husbands, great and small." {This advice pleased the king} and the officials, and the king acted according to the word of Memucan. And he sent letters to all the provinces of the king, to each province according to its own script, and to every people in their own {language}, that every man should be the master of his house and who speaks in the {language} of his people.
And the king said to the wise men, {the ones who know the times}--for it [was] the procedure of the king before all those who knew law and rights; and those next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who {had access to the king} and sat first in the kingdom-- "According to [the] law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she has not done the command of King Ahasuerus {conveyed by} the eunuchs? And Memucan said before the king and the officials, "Not only has Queen Vashti done wrong to the king, but to all the officials and all of the people who [are] in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For this deed of the queen {will be known} to all the women, causing them {to look with contempt on their husbands}, as they will say, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him but she did not come!' This day the women of nobility from Persia and Media will respond to all the officials of the king and there will be no end to contempt and anger. {If it pleases} the king, let {a royal edict} go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of Persia and Media so that it will not be altered, that Vashti cannot come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to her neighbor who [is] better than she. And let the king's decree that he will make be proclaimed in all his kingdom, because it [is] vast and all the women will honor their husbands, great and small." {This advice pleased the king} and the officials, and the king acted according to the word of Memucan. And he sent letters to all the provinces of the king, to each province according to its own script, and to every people in their own {language}, that every man should be the master of his house and who speaks in the {language} of his people.
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Of isaac, on account of the disagreement between jacob and esau
Then make for me tasty food like I love, and bring [it] to me. And I will eat [it] so that I can bless you before I die. Now Rebekah [was] listening as Isaac spoke to Esau his son, and [when] Esau went to the field to hunt wild game to bring [back], Rebekah said to Jacob her son, "Look, I heard your father speaking to Esau your brother saying, read more.
'Bring wild game to me and prepare tasty food so I can eat [it] and bless you before Yahweh before my death.' So now, my son, listen to my voice, to what I command you. Go to the flock and take two good young goats from it for me, and I will prepare them [as] tasty food for your father, just as he likes. Then you must take it to your father and he will eat [it] so that he may bless you before his death." Then Jacob said to his mother, "Behold, Esau my brother [is] a hairy man, but I [am] a smooth man. Perhaps my father will feel me and I will be in his eyes [as] a mocker, and he will bring upon me a curse and not a blessing." Then his mother said to him, "Your curse be upon me, my son, only listen to my voice--go and get [them] for me." So he went and took [them], and brought [them] to his mother, and his mother prepared tasty food as his father liked. Then Rebekah took [some of] her older son Esau's best garments that [were] with her in the house, and she put [them] on Jacob her younger son. And she put the skins of the young goats over his hands and over the smooth [part of] his neck. And she put the tasty food and the bread that she had made into the hand of Jacob, her son. And he went to his father and said, "My father." And he said, "Here I [am]. Who [are] you, my son?" And Jacob said to his father, "I [am] Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please get up, sit up and eat from my wild game so that you may bless me." Then Isaac said to his son, "{How} did you find [it] so quickly, my son?" And he said, "Because Yahweh your God {caused me to find it}." Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Please, come near and let me feel you, my son. {Are you really} my son Esau or not?" And Jacob drew near to Isaac his father. And he felt him and said, "The voice [is] the voice of Jacob, but the hands [are] the hands of Esau." And he did not recognize him because his hands were hairy like the hands of Esau his brother. And he blessed him. And he said, "{Are you really} my son Esau?" And he said, "I [am]." Then he said, "Bring [it] near to me that I may eat from the game of my son, so that I may bless you." And he brought [it] to him, and he ate. And he brought wine to him, and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come near and kiss me, my son." And he drew near and kissed him. And he smelled the smell of his garments, and he blessed him and said, "Look, the smell of my son [is] like the smell of a field that Yahweh has blessed! May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth, and abundance of grain and new wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you; Be lord of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. Cursed be those cursing you, and blessed be those blessing you." And as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, {immediately after} Jacob had gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came [back] from his hunting. He too prepared tasty food and brought [it] to his father. And he said to his father, "Let my father arise and eat from the wild game of his son, that you may bless me." And Isaac his father said to him, "Who [are] you?" And he said, "I [am] your son, your firstborn, Esau." Then Isaac {trembled violently}. Then he said, "Who then [was] he that hunted wild game and brought [it] to me, and I ate [it] all before you came, and I blessed him? Moreover, he will be blessed!" When Esau heard the words of his father he cried out [with] a great and exceedingly bitter cry of distress. And he said to his father, "Bless me as well, my father!" And he said, "Your brother came in deceit and took your blessing." Then he said, "{Isn't that why he is named Jacob}? He has deceived me these two times. He took my birthright and, look, now he has taken my blessing!" Then he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?" Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Behold, I have made him lord over you and I have given him all his brothers as servants, and [with] grain and wine I have sustained him. Now what can I do for you, my son?" And Esau said to his father, "Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me also, my father!" And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. Then Isaac his father answered and said to him, "Your home shall be from the fatness of the land, and from the dew of heaven above. But by your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother. But it shall be [that] when free yourself you shall tear off his yoke from your neck. Then Esau held a grudge against Jacob on account of the blessing with which his father had blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are coming, then I will kill Jacob my brother." But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. And she sent and called for her younger son Jacob. And she said to him, "Look, Esau your brother [is] consoling himself concerning you, [intending] to kill you. Now then, my son, listen to my voice; arise and flee to Haran to Laban my brother. Stay with him a few days until the wrath of your brother has turned-- until the anger of your brother turns from you and he has forgotten what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I lose the two of you in one day?" Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from Hittite women like these, from the {native women}, {what am I living for}?"
'Bring wild game to me and prepare tasty food so I can eat [it] and bless you before Yahweh before my death.' So now, my son, listen to my voice, to what I command you. Go to the flock and take two good young goats from it for me, and I will prepare them [as] tasty food for your father, just as he likes. Then you must take it to your father and he will eat [it] so that he may bless you before his death." Then Jacob said to his mother, "Behold, Esau my brother [is] a hairy man, but I [am] a smooth man. Perhaps my father will feel me and I will be in his eyes [as] a mocker, and he will bring upon me a curse and not a blessing." Then his mother said to him, "Your curse be upon me, my son, only listen to my voice--go and get [them] for me." So he went and took [them], and brought [them] to his mother, and his mother prepared tasty food as his father liked. Then Rebekah took [some of] her older son Esau's best garments that [were] with her in the house, and she put [them] on Jacob her younger son. And she put the skins of the young goats over his hands and over the smooth [part of] his neck. And she put the tasty food and the bread that she had made into the hand of Jacob, her son. And he went to his father and said, "My father." And he said, "Here I [am]. Who [are] you, my son?" And Jacob said to his father, "I [am] Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please get up, sit up and eat from my wild game so that you may bless me." Then Isaac said to his son, "{How} did you find [it] so quickly, my son?" And he said, "Because Yahweh your God {caused me to find it}." Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Please, come near and let me feel you, my son. {Are you really} my son Esau or not?" And Jacob drew near to Isaac his father. And he felt him and said, "The voice [is] the voice of Jacob, but the hands [are] the hands of Esau." And he did not recognize him because his hands were hairy like the hands of Esau his brother. And he blessed him. And he said, "{Are you really} my son Esau?" And he said, "I [am]." Then he said, "Bring [it] near to me that I may eat from the game of my son, so that I may bless you." And he brought [it] to him, and he ate. And he brought wine to him, and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come near and kiss me, my son." And he drew near and kissed him. And he smelled the smell of his garments, and he blessed him and said, "Look, the smell of my son [is] like the smell of a field that Yahweh has blessed! May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth, and abundance of grain and new wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you; Be lord of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. Cursed be those cursing you, and blessed be those blessing you." And as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, {immediately after} Jacob had gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came [back] from his hunting. He too prepared tasty food and brought [it] to his father. And he said to his father, "Let my father arise and eat from the wild game of his son, that you may bless me." And Isaac his father said to him, "Who [are] you?" And he said, "I [am] your son, your firstborn, Esau." Then Isaac {trembled violently}. Then he said, "Who then [was] he that hunted wild game and brought [it] to me, and I ate [it] all before you came, and I blessed him? Moreover, he will be blessed!" When Esau heard the words of his father he cried out [with] a great and exceedingly bitter cry of distress. And he said to his father, "Bless me as well, my father!" And he said, "Your brother came in deceit and took your blessing." Then he said, "{Isn't that why he is named Jacob}? He has deceived me these two times. He took my birthright and, look, now he has taken my blessing!" Then he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?" Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Behold, I have made him lord over you and I have given him all his brothers as servants, and [with] grain and wine I have sustained him. Now what can I do for you, my son?" And Esau said to his father, "Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me also, my father!" And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. Then Isaac his father answered and said to him, "Your home shall be from the fatness of the land, and from the dew of heaven above. But by your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother. But it shall be [that] when free yourself you shall tear off his yoke from your neck. Then Esau held a grudge against Jacob on account of the blessing with which his father had blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are coming, then I will kill Jacob my brother." But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. And she sent and called for her younger son Jacob. And she said to him, "Look, Esau your brother [is] consoling himself concerning you, [intending] to kill you. Now then, my son, listen to my voice; arise and flee to Haran to Laban my brother. Stay with him a few days until the wrath of your brother has turned-- until the anger of your brother turns from you and he has forgotten what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I lose the two of you in one day?" Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from Hittite women like these, from the {native women}, {what am I living for}?"
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Moses and zipporah
But Zipporah took a flint [knife], and she cut off the foreskin of her son, and she touched his feet, and she said, "Yes, you [are] a bridegroom of blood to me." And he left him alone. At that time she said, "A bridegroom of blood," because of the circumcision.
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Elkanah, on account of bigamic feuds
{On} the day Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he would give {a double portion}, because he loved Hannah, though Yahweh had closed her womb. (Now her rival wife would provoke her severely in order to upset her because Yahweh had closed her womb.) read more.
And so he used to do year after year; {whenever} she went up to the house of Yahweh, she would provoke her so that she would weep and would not eat.
And so he used to do year after year; {whenever} she went up to the house of Yahweh, she would provoke her so that she would weep and would not eat.