Study 1 Y SHALL BE MINE Relationships and Connections
Genesis 29 Leah s Sons V32..now therefore my husband will love me Y SHALL BE MINE V33..Yahweh hath heard that I was hated (by Jacob), he hath therefore given me this son also. V34..now this time will my husband be joined unto me because I have born him three sons V35 Now will I praise Yahweh
Simeon & Levi's true motives Genesis 34 V2 & 7 It s clear Shechem had done the wrong thing Y SHALL BE MINE V13..because he had defiled Dinah their sister V27..because they had defiled their sister V31 Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot Dinah was the full blooded sister of Simeon and Levi through Leah
Covenant of circumcision Incapacitates that part of a male that is designed for him to procreate and by which he becomes a father Y SHALL BE MINE It was given to Abraham at the very time of Isaac s conception In order to keep faith in God s promise to him in having children, Abraham had to trust in God s capacity to be a Father The covenant of circumcision then, is a trust in the Fatherhood of God
Genesis 34 Feigned peace V16..we will become one people Y SHALL BE MINE V21 these men are peaceable with us V22..for to dwell with us to be one people One (Heb eched) = to unite Not too dissimilar to Levi = to twist, hence unite or join
Genesis 34 Give and Take Shechem and Hamor Y SHALL BE MINE V8..I pray you give her him to wife. V9..and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you. V12..and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife. V21..let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.
Genesis 34 Give and Take Simeon and Levi Y SHALL BE MINE V16 Then we will give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. V17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised: then we will take our daughter and be gone.
Genesis 34 Give and Take Simeon and Levi s REAL intentions Y SHALL BE MINE V28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, V29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.
Genesis 34 Summary Their relationship with their sister is more important than a relationship with God Y SHALL BE MINE Willing to abuse the special covenant of circumcision that Yahweh gave to Abraham Gave a false message of a hope of peace and of being joined together Lacked the real meaning of sacrifice Never intended to give only take
Genesis 49 Jacob s Blessing V5 Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations Instruments Heb Keliy = something prepared Y SHALL BE MINE Gesenius = whatever is made, completed or prepared i.e. utensil, vessel, clothing, tools, jewellery or weapons Habitation only occurrence, Heb Mekerah = a sword (from stabbing) AV margin Their swords are weapons of violence Gesenius Weapons of outrage are their swords RSV Weapons of violence are their swords
Genesis 49 Jacob s Blessing V6 Unto their assembly, mine honour be not thou united Y SHALL BE MINE Assembly Heb qahal = Used in the O.T. for the equivalent of the ecclesia (cp LXX) First occurrence in scripture is in the life of their father Jacob in Genesis 28v3 where Isaac asked God to Bless Jacob so that out him would come forth The ecclesia Simeon and Levi had set up a rival ecclesia
Genesis 49 Jacob s Blessing V6 In their selfwill they digged down a wall Y SHALL BE MINE Selfwill Heb ratson = be delighted with, to satisfy Digged Heb aqar = to pluck, especially a hamstring Wall Heb showr = an ox (not shuwr = a wall) AV margin houghed (hamstrung) oxen
Genesis 49 V7 I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Simeon Jacob s Blessing Y SHALL BE MINE They became the smallest tribe Numbers 26v14 They were given only a few cities within the tribe of Judah Joshua 19v1-9
Genesis 49 V7 I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel Levi Jacob s Blessing Y SHALL BE MINE Received no special inheritance but rather 48 cities which were scattered throughout the land.
Jacob s Blessing Summary Genesis 49 The only two mentioned together Fanatical sword users Y SHALL BE MINE Kept their intentions secret Set up an alternate ecclesia Angry and self willed Showed their anger in the most cruel and violent way Jacob sees the need to keep them separated in future that they be not a threat to the other tribes
Deuteronomy 33 Moses s Blessing V8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah Y SHALL BE MINE Meribah here is probably not the Meribah of Num 20 as this is defined as Meribah Kadesh in Deut 32v51 but rather the Meribah of Exod 17v7
Deuteronomy 33 Moses s Blessing V8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah Y SHALL BE MINE LXX Give to Levi his manifestations and his truth to the holy man, whom they (Israel) tempted in the temptation; they (Israel) reviled him (Levi) at the water of strife
Deuteronomy 33 Moses s Blessing V9 Who said unto his father and his mother, I have not seen him RSV LEV I regard them TES not No longer about family relationships Incident of Y the SHALL golden BE MINE calf (Exod 32v27) Cp also Korah s children (Num 16 and 26v11) Neither did he acknowledge his brethren RSV he disowns his brethren He was once passionate about sticking close to his brother Simeon but not anymore.
Deuteronomy 33 V9 Moses s Blessing Nor knew his own children RSV and ignored his children Deep blood connections and family pride were once valued above God. That has now changed Y SHALL BE MINE For they have observed thy word and kept thy covenant Nothing was more important to the Levites than honouring His covenant Contrast that to Levi s abuse of the covenant of circumcision in Gen 34
Deuteronomy 33 Moses s Blessing V10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgements and Israel thy law LEV Let them TES teach Y SHALL BE MINE Cp margin This is a plea from Moses to Yahweh to let this tribe become the teachers of the nation They grow into this role over time Nothing good is said about them during the Judges However from Samuel onwards they develop into teachers till eventually it becomes their official title.
Deuteronomy 33 Moses s Blessing V11 Bless, Yahweh, his substance, and accept the work of his hands Jacob said have nothing to do with Levi, now Moses is saying to have everything to do with them Y SHALL BE MINE Smite through the loins of them that rise up against him and of them that hate him, that they rise not again Levi was noted for smiting the loins of the men of Shechem Now Yahweh would smite the loins of Levi s enemies
Moses s Blessing Summary Deuteronomy 33 (Simeon is not even mentioned) Called Yahweh s holy one who the rest of the Y SHALL BE MINE nation chided against at Massah and Meribah (Exod 17) Stood with Yahweh in the matter of the Golden Calf (Exod 32) Moses prays that they might be teachers in the nation He asks God to accept the work of the Levites and to destroy any who oppose them
Levi s reformation A ringleader in the putting of Joseph into the pit He is separated from Simeon by the hand of Joseph He becomes attached to his next closet brother Y SHALL BE MINE Judah (who is already beginning to reform) He begins a change in himself that is instilled into his children The questions that the Levites answer are 1. Is Yahweh among us? (Exodus 17) Yes he is 2. Who is on Yahweh s side? (Exodus 32) We are
Lessons for us Where would we place our relationship with God, when comparing it to our relationship with family and friends. Or is there a relationship that we are Y SHALL BE MINE holding to that hinders our relationship with God? Are we prepared to change so our lives are in accordance with Yahweh s ways, regardless what others might think? Are we prepared to stand alone for our convictions whatever the consequences? What type of instruments occupy our lives?
End Y SHALL BE MINE