Gênesis 13

Gênesis 13

William MacDonald add "Underlying Abram’s return to Bethel … from Egypt was a return to fellowship with God. “Back to Bethel” is the rallying cry for all who have wandered from the Lord." (Borrow Believer's Bible Commentary) Journeys (stages) (04550) massa from nasa = to pull out tent pegs, break camp) breaking camp, a pulling up, setting out, a journey. The main idea of massaʿ is that of a group of people gathering up movable property (perhaps with the picture of pulling out tent stakes) and setting out for a new geographical location. This is a permanent move of the household and property, as opposed to travel in general. It can denote the seasonal cyclic travel of pastoral nomads or the movement of a more sedentary population. Massa - 12x in 11v - journey(1), journeys(7), order of march(1), set(2), stages(1). Gen. 13:3; Ex 17:1; Ex 40:36; Ex. 40:38; Nu 10:2; Nu 10:6; Nu 10:12; Nu 10:28; Nu 33:1; Nu 33:2; Dt. 10:11 QUESTION - What is the significance of Bethel in the Bible? ANSWER - Two towns named Bethel appear in the Bible. The Bethel of lesser significance, a village in the Negev, is mentioned as one of the places where David sent spoils to his friends, the elders of Judah (1 Samuel 30:26–27). Another Bethel, a city of foremost importance in the Bible, was located about 11 miles north of Jerusalem near Ai. A major trading center, Bethel stood at a crossroads, with its north-south road passing through the central hill country from Hebron in the south to Shechem in the north, and its main east-west route leading from Jericho to the Mediterranean Sea. Only Jerusalem is mentioned more frequently than Bethel in the Old Testament. The Hebrew name Bethel means “house of God” and refers to both the city and the site of a major sanctuary that was established there for the northern kingdom of Israel. Bethel sat at the boundary between the tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin and eventually delineated the border between the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Although Bethel was in the dry hill country, several natural springs supplied water in abundance for its residents. Bethel is first mentioned in the Bible in connection with Abram, who built an altar to God there: “From there [Abram] went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD” (Genesis 12:8). After visiting Egypt, Abraham returned to Bethel and offered a sacrifice to God (Genesis 13:3–4). Originally named Luz (Genesis 28:19; Judges 1:23), the city was renamed Bethel by Jacob after the patriarch experienced a remarkable dream there. While traveling from Beersheba to Haran to escape his brother Esau, Jacob stopped for the night in Luz. As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway or ladder that stretched up from earth to heaven. The angels of God were climbing up and down the ladder as God stood at the top (Genesis 28:10–13). The Lord spoke and revealed Himself to Jacob as the God of his fathers. When Jacob awoke, he declared, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:17). Then Jacob set up a sacred pillar, named the place Bethel (Ge 28:18–19), and consecrated the site as a place to worship God (Ge 28:21). Many years later, Jacob returned to Bethel, built an altar to God there, and called the place El-Bethel, which means “God of Bethel.” Bethel remained one of the main worship centers of Israel. The ark of the covenant was kept at Bethel for a time, and the people often went there to seek God during times of trouble (Judges 20:18–28). The Bible says Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, was buried under an oak tree near Bethel (Genesis 35:8), and the better-known Deborah, judge of Israel, held court at a site between Ramah and Bethel (Judges 4:5). During the time of the divided kingdoms, King Jeroboam of Israel established two temples for the northern kingdom, one at Bethel and the other at Dan. In these temples, he set up golden calves (1 Kings 12:26–33). God often sent prophets to preach at Bethel (1 Kings 13:1–10). Many of these prophets pronounced judgment and condemnation on Bethel as a center of idolatry (Amos 3:14; 5:5–6; Hosea 10:15). On Elijah’s last day of ministry on earth, he and Elisha encountered a company of prophets at Bethel. These prophets confirmed Elijah’s soon departure: “Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.’ But Elisha said, ‘As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ So they went down to Bethel. The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, ‘Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?’ ‘Yes, I know,’ Elisha replied, ‘so be quiet’” (2 Kings 2:2–3). Elisha refused to leave Elijah. He was fiercely committed to assuming the older prophet’s mantle and did not want to miss out on the opportunity. After the northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians, Bethel remained a home for priests (2 Kings 17:28–41). In the seventh century BC, the high places of Bethel were destroyed by King Josiah of Judah as part of his religious reforms (2 Kings 23:4, 13–19). Eventually, by the time of Ezra, the city of Bethel had been burned down and reduced to a small village (Ezra 2:28). Bethel is not referred to in the New Testament.GotQuestions.org Genesis 13:4 to the place of the altar which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. to: Ge 13:18 Ge 12:7-8 Ge 35:1-3 Ps 26:8 42:1,2 84:1,2,10 called: Genesis 4:26, Psalm 65:1, Psalm 65:2, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 107:8, Psalm 107:15, Psalm 116:2, Psalm 116:17, Psalm 145:18, Isaiah 58:9, Jeremiah 29:12, Zephaniah 3:9, 1 Corinthians 1:2, Ephesians 6:18, Ephesians 6:19 Genesis 13 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passages: Genesis 4:26+ To Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of the LORD. Genesis 12:7-8 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him 8 Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD. Genesis 21:33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, El Olam: Everlasting God Genesis 26:25 So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well. ABRAM CALLED ON THE NAME OF JEHOVAH To the place of the altar which he had made there formerly - This altar refers back to Genesis 12:7-8+ when "The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him. Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD." Abram has put the sin of Egypt behind him and is seeking a fresh start. 🙏 THOUGHT - Beloved, Abram's pattern is a great pattern to imitate (read Heb 6:12). We all need a "fresh start" from time to time. God grant each of us the attitude of Paul who wrote "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Php 3:13-14+) Dear Father, please grant us the empowerment we must have from the Holy Spirit so that we are enabled to press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. In His Mighty Name. Amen. And there Abram called on the Name of the LORD (Jehovah/ Yahweh; Lxx = kurios) - NLT = "there he again worshiped the LORD." The Name speaks of all the attributes of God, everything God is, everything that characterizes Him as the Self-existent "I Am." Wenham - “To call on the name of the LORD” is used elsewhere in Genesis of the patriarchs Ge 12:8; Ge 13:4; Ge 21:33; Ge 26:25, and it seems to be an umbrella phrase for worship, most obviously prayer and sacrifice. (BORROW Genesis Commentary) R Kent