History in Genesis: From Abraham and Isaac to Jacob
Isaac was born in 2218 BC, being the son of promise.
However, God “tested” Abraham. Hisfather died in 2183 BC, when Isaac was 35 years old. Next, Sarah died in 2181 BC, at 127 years old. A year later, when Isaac was 38, when there was no chance of Abraham having another child (by Sarah), God told him to sacrifice Isaac at Mt. Moriah. This had to tear Abraham up, and make him wonder if God was truly holy. The aborted sacrifice turned out to be several feet above the same co-ordinates that Yeshua would be sacrificed 2,207 years later, when part of the mountain was chiseled away.
Marriage was a problem for the early Hebrews, which led to serious problems. The Canaanites were heathens, cursed by Noah, practiced idolatry, and did not know Yehovah. Nahor, Abraham’s brother, still lived in southern Syria, and had knowledge of Yehovah.
Abraham sent his trusted servant to seek out a wife from Nahor’s family, in order to be a bride for Isaac. The servant found Rebekah, and brought her back for Isaac. They married in 2178 BC when Isaac was forty years old.
Isaac and Rebekah had twin sons in 2158 BC, Esau being first and Jacob being the younger. Yet Esau did not wait for a wife, and did not heed his father’s request and married women of Canaan when he was forty years old. After “obtaining” the birthright from Esau, Jacob left to live with his kindred when he was 75 years old.
He met Rachel, and agreed to work seven years for her. But he ended up marrying Leah in 2075 BC, when he was 83 years old, and also Rachel a week later, after agreeing to work more seven years for the right to marry Rachel.
Jacob’s first son named Reuben, was born in 2074 BC by Leah. Jacob’s second son (Simeon) was born in 2073 BC, his third son named Levi was born in early 2072 BC, and Judah was born in late 2072 BC, all by Leah. In all, Jacob had twelve sons by his two wives and their two handmaidens, with Rachel having the last two sons. I’m guessing that Jacob also had about five daughters after all was said and done.
However, there are skeletons in Jacob’s closet, which Moses appears to have tried to hide. It was (nearly) forbidden for any of the children of Israel (Jacob) to marry any of the Canaanites. Also, Jacob’s oldest son (Reuben) was almost thirteen years old when Jacob “had a falling out” with Laban (his father-in-law), and parted company in 2062 BC. So Jacob didn’t try to obtain a spouse for any his children from the family of Laban.
Therefore, the sons of Jacob that were “reaching that age” were in a quandary. In the next chapter, the untold soap opera begins.
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