Thematic Bible: Instances of infelicity in
Thematic Bible
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Of jacob, the bigamic jealousy between leah and rachel
Jacob slept with Rachel too. He loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years. Jehovah saw that Leah was loved less, so he made it possible for her to have children. But Rachel had none. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, because she said: Certainly, Jehovah has seen my misery. Now my husband will love me! read more.
She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said: Certainly, Jehovah has heard that I am unloved. He has also given me this son. She named him Simeon. She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said: Now at last my husband will become attached to me because I have given him three sons. She named him Levi.
She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said: Certainly, Jehovah has heard that I am unloved. He has also given me this son. She named him Simeon. She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said: Now at last my husband will become attached to me because I have given him three sons. She named him Levi.
Rachel had not borne Jacob any children. As a result, she became jealous of her sister and said to Jacob: Give me children, or I will die. Jacob became angry with Rachel. He said: I cannot take the place of God. He is the one who keeps you from having children. She said: Here is my maid Bilhah. Sleep with her, so that she can have a child for me. This way I can become a mother through her. read more.
Then Rachel let Jacob marry Bilhah. Jacob slept with Bilhah. They had a son. Rachel named him Dan, because she said: God has answered my prayers. He has vindicated me and given me a son. Bilhah and Jacob had a second son. Rachel said: I have struggled hard with my sister, and I have won! So she named the boy Naphtali. When Leah realized she could not have any more children, she let Jacob marry her servant Zilpah. They had a son. Leah said: How fortunate. She called him Gad. Leah's slave Zilpah gave birth to her second son for Jacob. Leah said: I am happy, for women will call me blessed. So she named him Asher. During the wheat harvest Reuben went out into the fields. He found some mandrake plants. He brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah: Please, give me some of your son's mandrake plants. Leah replied: Is it not enough that you took my husband? Are you also going to take my son's mandrake plants? Rachel responded: Very well, Jacob can go to bed with you tonight in return for your son's mandrake plants. Jacob came in from the fields that evening. Leah went out to meet him. You are to sleep with me, she said. You are my reward for my son's mandrake plants. So he went to bed with her that night. God answered Leah's prayer. She became pregnant and gave birth to her fifth son for Jacob. Leah said: God has given me my reward, because I gave my slave to my husband. So she named him Issachar. She became pregnant again and gave birth to her sixth son for Jacob. Leah said: God has presented me with a wonderful gift. This time my husband will honor me, because I have given him six sons. So she named him Zebulun. Later she bore a daughter and named her Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel. God listened to her and opened her womb. So she conceived and gave birth to a son. She said: God has taken away my reproach. She named him Joseph. She said: May Jehovah give me another son. When Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban: Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country.
Then Rachel let Jacob marry Bilhah. Jacob slept with Bilhah. They had a son. Rachel named him Dan, because she said: God has answered my prayers. He has vindicated me and given me a son. Bilhah and Jacob had a second son. Rachel said: I have struggled hard with my sister, and I have won! So she named the boy Naphtali. When Leah realized she could not have any more children, she let Jacob marry her servant Zilpah. They had a son. Leah said: How fortunate. She called him Gad. Leah's slave Zilpah gave birth to her second son for Jacob. Leah said: I am happy, for women will call me blessed. So she named him Asher. During the wheat harvest Reuben went out into the fields. He found some mandrake plants. He brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah: Please, give me some of your son's mandrake plants. Leah replied: Is it not enough that you took my husband? Are you also going to take my son's mandrake plants? Rachel responded: Very well, Jacob can go to bed with you tonight in return for your son's mandrake plants. Jacob came in from the fields that evening. Leah went out to meet him. You are to sleep with me, she said. You are my reward for my son's mandrake plants. So he went to bed with her that night. God answered Leah's prayer. She became pregnant and gave birth to her fifth son for Jacob. Leah said: God has given me my reward, because I gave my slave to my husband. So she named him Issachar. She became pregnant again and gave birth to her sixth son for Jacob. Leah said: God has presented me with a wonderful gift. This time my husband will honor me, because I have given him six sons. So she named him Zebulun. Later she bore a daughter and named her Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel. God listened to her and opened her womb. So she conceived and gave birth to a son. She said: God has taken away my reproach. She named him Joseph. She said: May Jehovah give me another son. When Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban: Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country.
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Of abraham, on account of hagar
Then Sarai said to Abram: You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms; she knows she is pregnant and she despises me. May Jehovah judge between you and me.
She said to Abraham: Get rid of that slave woman and her son. This upset Abraham because of his son Ishmael.
Family » Instances of infelicity in » David and michal
When the Ark of Jehovah came to the City of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked out of a window and saw King David leaping and dancing in Jehovah's presence. She despised him in her heart.
David went home so he could ask Jehovah to bless his family. But Saul's daughter Michal went out and started yelling at him: You were really great today! She said. You acted like a dirty old man. You danced around half-naked in front of your servants' slave-girls. David answered: I danced to honor Jehovah. He chose me to be king instead of your father and his family. He made me the leader of his people Israel. I will continue to dance and honor Jehovah. I will disgrace myself even more. You may think I am nothing, but those women think highly of me! read more.
Michal, Saul's daughter, never had any children.
Michal, Saul's daughter, never had any children.
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 glad with wine, he gave orders to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presences of King Ahasuerus. That Vashti the queen was to come before him, with her royal crown, and let the people and the captains see her beauty: for she was very beautiful. But when the servants gave her the king's order, Vashti the queen said she would not come. The king was very angry. His heart was burning with wrath. read more.
The king spoke to the wise men that were experts with knowledge of the times. It was the king's practice. The closest to the king were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven rulers of Persia and Media. They were friends of the king, and had the first places in the kingdom. By law, what is to be done to Vashti the queen? She has not done what King Ahasuerus ordered her to do. Before the king and the captains, Memucan gave his answer: Vashti the queen has done wrong, not only to the king, but also to all the captains and to all the peoples in all the divisions of the kingdom of King Ahasuerus. For news of what the queen has done will come to the attention of all women. They will no longer give respect to their husbands when it is said to them, 'King Ahasuerus gave orders for Vashti the queen to come before him and she did not come.' The wives of the captains of Persia and Media, hearing what the queen has done, will say the same to all the king's captains. So there will be much shame and anger. If it is pleasing to the king, let an order go out from him. Let it be recorded among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it may never be changed. That Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. Let the king give her place to another who is better than she. When the king's order is made public through all his great kingdom all the wives will give honor to their husbands, great as well as small. This suggestion seemed good to the king and the captains. The king did as Memucan said. He sent letters to all the divisions of the kingdom where their language is used. The letter said that every man was to be the ruler in his house, and that this order was to be given out in the language of his people.
The king spoke to the wise men that were experts with knowledge of the times. It was the king's practice. The closest to the king were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven rulers of Persia and Media. They were friends of the king, and had the first places in the kingdom. By law, what is to be done to Vashti the queen? She has not done what King Ahasuerus ordered her to do. Before the king and the captains, Memucan gave his answer: Vashti the queen has done wrong, not only to the king, but also to all the captains and to all the peoples in all the divisions of the kingdom of King Ahasuerus. For news of what the queen has done will come to the attention of all women. They will no longer give respect to their husbands when it is said to them, 'King Ahasuerus gave orders for Vashti the queen to come before him and she did not come.' The wives of the captains of Persia and Media, hearing what the queen has done, will say the same to all the king's captains. So there will be much shame and anger. If it is pleasing to the king, let an order go out from him. Let it be recorded among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it may never be changed. That Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. Let the king give her place to another who is better than she. When the king's order is made public through all his great kingdom all the wives will give honor to their husbands, great as well as small. This suggestion seemed good to the king and the captains. The king did as Memucan said. He sent letters to all the divisions of the kingdom where their language is used. The letter said that every man was to be the ruler in his house, and that this order was to be given out in the language of his people.
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Of isaac, on account of the disagreement between jacob and esau
Prepare a good-tasting meal for me. Prepare it the way I like it. Bring it to me to eat so that I will bless you before I die. Rebekah listened while Isaac was speaking to his son Esau. Esau went into the open country to hunt for some wild game to bring back. Rebekah said to her son Jacob: I have just heard your father speak to your brother Esau. read more.
He said: 'Bring me some wild game, and prepare a good-tasting meal for me to eat. Then I will bless you in the presence of Jehovah before I die.' Now listen to me, Son, and do what I tell you. Go to the flock and pick out two fat young goats. I will cook them and make some of that food your father likes so much. You take it to him to eat. Then he will give you his blessing before he dies. Jacob said to his mother: You know that Esau is a hairy man. I have smooth skin. Perhaps my father will touch me and find out that I am deceiving him. That way, I will bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing. His mother replied: Let any curse against you fall on me, my son. Just do as I say, and go and get the goats for me. So Jacob brought the meat to his mother. And she cooked the tasty food that his father liked. Then she took Esau's best clothes and dressed Jacob in them. She also covered the smooth part of his hands and neck with goatskins. She gave her son Jacob the good-tasting meal and the bread she had prepared. He went to his father and said: Father? Yes, he answered. Who are you, Son? Jacob answered: I am your older son Esau. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of the meat that I brought you. Then you can give me your blessing. Isaac said: How did you find it so quickly, son? Jacob answered: Jehovah your God helped me find it. Isaac said to Jacob: Please come closer. Let me touch you. Are you really Esau? Jacob went closer. His father touched him. He said: You sound like Jacob, but your hands feel hairy like Esau's. So Isaac blessed Jacob, thinking he was Esau. Isaac asked: Are you really my son Esau? Yes, I am, Jacob answered. So Isaac told him: Serve me the wild meat. I can give you my blessing. Jacob gave him some meat, and he ate it. He also gave him some wine, and he drank it. Then his father Isaac said to him: Come close, my son, and kiss me. He came close and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his garments. Then he blessed him and said: See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field Jehovah has blessed. May God give you of the dew of heaven, the fatness of the earth, and an abundance of grain and new wine. May peoples serve you. And nations bow down to you. Be master of your brothers. And may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be those who curse you. Blessed be those who bless you. No sooner had Isaac finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob left his presence, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. He also prepared a good-tasting meal and brought it to his father. Then he said to his father: Please, Father, eat some of the meat I have hunted for you so that you will bless me. Who are you? his father Isaac asked him. I am your firstborn son, Esau, he answered. Isaac began to tremble and shake all over. He asked: Who was it, then, who killed an animal and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came. I gave him my final blessing, and so it is his forever. When Esau heard this he cried out loudly and bitterly. He said: Give me your blessing also, Father! Isaac responded: Your brother deceived me. He has taken your blessing. Esau said: This is the second time that he has cheated me. No wonder his name is Jacob. He took my rights as the firstborn son. Now he has taken my blessing. Have you saved a blessing for me? Isaac answered: I have already made him master over you. I have made all his relatives his slaves. I have given him grain and wine. Now there is nothing that I can do for you, son! Esau pleaded: Father, please! Do you have only one blessing, Father? Bless me too, Father! Esau broke down and wept. Then Isaac said to him: You will live off the land and what it yields. You will live by your sword. You will serve your brother. Soon you will become restless and break his yoke from your neck. So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him. Esau said to himself: The days of mourning for my father are near. Then I will kill my brother Jacob. When Rebekah heard about Esau's plans to kill Jacob, she called her younger son, Jacob. She said: Your brother Esau is comforting himself by planning to kill you. Go quickly, my son. Run away to my brother Laban in Haran. Stay with him until your brother's anger cools down. When your brother's anger is gone and he has forgotten what you did to him, I will let you know. Then you may come back. Why should I lose both of you in one day? Rebekah said to Isaac: I cannot stand Hittite women! I would rather die than see Jacob marry one of them.
He said: 'Bring me some wild game, and prepare a good-tasting meal for me to eat. Then I will bless you in the presence of Jehovah before I die.' Now listen to me, Son, and do what I tell you. Go to the flock and pick out two fat young goats. I will cook them and make some of that food your father likes so much. You take it to him to eat. Then he will give you his blessing before he dies. Jacob said to his mother: You know that Esau is a hairy man. I have smooth skin. Perhaps my father will touch me and find out that I am deceiving him. That way, I will bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing. His mother replied: Let any curse against you fall on me, my son. Just do as I say, and go and get the goats for me. So Jacob brought the meat to his mother. And she cooked the tasty food that his father liked. Then she took Esau's best clothes and dressed Jacob in them. She also covered the smooth part of his hands and neck with goatskins. She gave her son Jacob the good-tasting meal and the bread she had prepared. He went to his father and said: Father? Yes, he answered. Who are you, Son? Jacob answered: I am your older son Esau. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of the meat that I brought you. Then you can give me your blessing. Isaac said: How did you find it so quickly, son? Jacob answered: Jehovah your God helped me find it. Isaac said to Jacob: Please come closer. Let me touch you. Are you really Esau? Jacob went closer. His father touched him. He said: You sound like Jacob, but your hands feel hairy like Esau's. So Isaac blessed Jacob, thinking he was Esau. Isaac asked: Are you really my son Esau? Yes, I am, Jacob answered. So Isaac told him: Serve me the wild meat. I can give you my blessing. Jacob gave him some meat, and he ate it. He also gave him some wine, and he drank it. Then his father Isaac said to him: Come close, my son, and kiss me. He came close and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his garments. Then he blessed him and said: See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field Jehovah has blessed. May God give you of the dew of heaven, the fatness of the earth, and an abundance of grain and new wine. May peoples serve you. And nations bow down to you. Be master of your brothers. And may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be those who curse you. Blessed be those who bless you. No sooner had Isaac finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob left his presence, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. He also prepared a good-tasting meal and brought it to his father. Then he said to his father: Please, Father, eat some of the meat I have hunted for you so that you will bless me. Who are you? his father Isaac asked him. I am your firstborn son, Esau, he answered. Isaac began to tremble and shake all over. He asked: Who was it, then, who killed an animal and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came. I gave him my final blessing, and so it is his forever. When Esau heard this he cried out loudly and bitterly. He said: Give me your blessing also, Father! Isaac responded: Your brother deceived me. He has taken your blessing. Esau said: This is the second time that he has cheated me. No wonder his name is Jacob. He took my rights as the firstborn son. Now he has taken my blessing. Have you saved a blessing for me? Isaac answered: I have already made him master over you. I have made all his relatives his slaves. I have given him grain and wine. Now there is nothing that I can do for you, son! Esau pleaded: Father, please! Do you have only one blessing, Father? Bless me too, Father! Esau broke down and wept. Then Isaac said to him: You will live off the land and what it yields. You will live by your sword. You will serve your brother. Soon you will become restless and break his yoke from your neck. So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him. Esau said to himself: The days of mourning for my father are near. Then I will kill my brother Jacob. When Rebekah heard about Esau's plans to kill Jacob, she called her younger son, Jacob. She said: Your brother Esau is comforting himself by planning to kill you. Go quickly, my son. Run away to my brother Laban in Haran. Stay with him until your brother's anger cools down. When your brother's anger is gone and he has forgotten what you did to him, I will let you know. Then you may come back. Why should I lose both of you in one day? Rebekah said to Isaac: I cannot stand Hittite women! I would rather die than see Jacob marry one of them.
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Moses and zipporah
Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and threw it at Moses' feet. She said: You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me. So He let him alone. At that time she said: You are a bridegroom of blood, because of the circumcision.
Family » Instances of infelicity in » Elkanah, on account of bigamic feuds
The day came for Elkanah to make his offering. So he gave a part of the feast to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and daughters. He gave a double portion to Hannah. Hannah was very dear to him even though Jehovah had not given her children. The other wife did everything possible to make her unhappy. This is because Jehovah had not given her children. read more.
Year after year when Peninnah went to the Temple of Jehovah, she kept on provoking Hannah. It bothered Hannah so much she wept and did not eat.
Year after year when Peninnah went to the Temple of Jehovah, she kept on provoking Hannah. It bothered Hannah so much she wept and did not eat.