My Mum's Ancient Family Bible

My Mum's Ancient Family Bible
Kept in the garage of all places for so many years, it's finally been put to good use.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Makin' Babies, Makin' Covenants (Genesis 31)

I wish the print were bigger. I prefer reading books that have lots of pages and big print. Then you can sit back after you've read for a bit and see what fine progress you've made.

I do not get that feeling with the Bible.

Sigh.

Okay, so Laban is pissed that Jacob took off with his two daughters, grandkids and a whole wackload of his flock. He pursues him for seven days (there's that number again) with a bunch of his cronies and eventually catches up with him. They have a big, long, boring argument. It also comes out that Jacob took Laban's household gods. This is the first time polytheism is mentioned, and I wonder how God feels about it. He is silent on the issue for now. I'd like to know what gods were popular then. I'll look that up.

After this big, long, boring arugument, Jacob and Lavan decide to make a covenant. Witness to the covenent is a pile of stones. Laban says, "We need a witness," and Jacob's like, "How about this stone?" and Laban's like, "I'll do you one better; how about a pile of stones?". Hmm. I don't really see the sense in a pile of stones being a legal witness. Seem odd, and I've certainly never seen it in a court of law. And what's wrong with the guys Laban brought along? Why can't they be witnesses? The Bible is full of mystery.

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