Q1. Jacob's Grief

[Pastor Ralph]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35) What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons

[Commissioned]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35) What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons

[pickledilly]

I think these sons harbored so much resentment toward Joseph that they didn't care about their father. It seems that through the years they had completely lost concern and respect for Jacob as they lived with his extreme preferential treatment of Joseph and experienced his leadership failures as patriarch. They wanted to get rid of this disdained brother without any clue of their own responsibility, and the result was lies and false evidence.

At the loss of his beloved favorite son, Jacob was devastated and fell into a deep period of mourning, even wanting to die. I think he became withdrawn/paralyzed in his depression and was probably unable to offer much meaningful leadership in his family. He no longer pointed his family toward faith in/reliance on Yahweh and the covenant with Abraham. He no longer provided a moral compass or directly challenged sin. His whole existence and focus of affection was set on Benjamin, to the point of clinging self-pity and paranoia.

[masika]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35) What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons' attitude toward their father? How does this loss affect Jacob? How do you think it affects his future behavior?

To cover their evil action, Jacob

[Vincent Paul DiMino]

Israel's children were careful not to directly speak any words that legally constitute a lie,but they did say (Genesis 37:32)"...this have we found",when they showed him the coat.(Genesis 37:31)"And they took Joseph's coat,and killed a kid of the goats,and dipped the coat in blood".This is not only a LIE,but is legalism,intent to deceive,conspiracy to deceive,and even imperfect speech.Notice the names leading up to this incident: Shechem (the past sin) and Dothan (the future sin).If they truly loved their,they would love what he loves,bless what he blesses (and now,I'm speaking of both their biological and Heavenly Fathers).In Jacob's depression,"...all his sons and daughters rose up to comfort him...".Another act of deception: if any of them,that knew, cared,they would have told him the truth.

Israel was depressed,but his sense of right and wrong has not been removed.If Joseph had simply been devoured by a wild animal,he would not have felt the presence of evil in his house.We are all part of a much greater battle than we can possibly perceive through our earthly senses.He does not know what lies ahead,but he does know that he can not "go down to the grave" and be with his beloved Rachel, and their son Joseph,yet.He must stay and fight,as his God given name implies.The true enemy remains unseen.

[WALT39]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35) What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons

[quilter]

I THINK THIS REALLY BROKE JACOB HEART AND SPIRIT.I THINK THE SONS LOVED JACOB BUT

GAVE NO THOUGHT OF HOW MUCH IT AFFECT HIM. JACOB HIMSELF HAD DECEIVED MANY OTHERS

INCLUDING HIS FATHER. ALTHOUGH BLESSED BY GOD JACOB STILL HAD TO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES

OF HIS SINS.GOD DID NOT PUNISH JACOB IMMEDIATELY FOR HIS SIN OF DECEIT BUT THE CONSEQUENCES STAYED WITH HIM THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

I THINK NO MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY COULD CONSOLE HIM. HE TURN TO BENJAMIN HIM BEING RACHEL

SON AND THE ONLY THING OF RACHEL HE HAD. I THINK JACOB LIVED THE REST OF HIS DAYS IN THIS STATE.

[charisbarak]

The son's attitude toward their father was shown to be not of love, but "oh well, it looks like an animal got to Joseph & killed him." They were so glad to get rid of him they did not even think about how it would affect Jacob--and I think, frankly they didn't care at that time.

The loss drove him into depression and probably aged him quickly.

He holds on tightly to anything or anyone related to his beloved wife.

[iam4-1god]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35) What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons

[Jen]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35) What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons' attitude toward their father? How does this loss affect Jacob? How do you think it affects his future behavior?

In their effort to solve their own heart problem of envy and jealousy the brothers of Joseph callously thought only of themselves (as usual?) and brought intentional grief on their father. I don't know if they realized the depth of the grief he would feel or if they had would have cared as it seems their resentment went way back and was never addressed. Could Jacob not have noticed this? I don't see how. This was really a disfunctional family with one wife and her children favored over all the rest. Poor Jacob. He deceived his father with the blood of a goat and was deceived by his sons with the blood of a goat. I doubt that Jacob was ever the same after this. He was devastated. It seems that he didn't display much love towards the other boys as he would not be consoled

which probably deepened for sometime their resentment. I assume he retreated into some mode of coping however he could. He displayed no hope of ever seeing Joseph again when he died. So it seems his faith had not matured much either.

God Bless!

Jen

Numbers 6:24-26

[Stan]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35) What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons

[Patricia A]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35)

*What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons' attitude toward their father? THIS ACT INDICATES THE SONS HAD VERY LITTLE CONCERN AND COMPASSION TOWARD THEIR FATHER. THIS WAS A VERY UNCARING AND SELFISH ACT.

*How does this loss affect Jacob? JACOB BECOME DEPRESSED AND FULL OF SELF PITY.

*How do you think it affects his future behavior? THIS AFFECTS HIS FUTURE behavior AS HE IS DESPONDENT. WHEN HE FINALLY CALLS ON GOD FOR HELP, HE IS ABLE TO FEEL SOME PEACE.

[Seeking His Face]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35) What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons

[Helen Williams]

Genesis 37:31-35) What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons

[hanks]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35)

What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons' attitude toward their father?

How does this loss affect Jacob?

How do you think it affects his future behaviour?

It was a callous deed, and shows an antagonistic behaviour towards their father. Their behaviour was a jealousy created because of Jacob

[janel]

Q1 The sons of Jacob are full of deceit, hatred, resentful and revenge. To them it is

like pay back time to their father because their jealousy has gone deep into them.

Overcome with grief and loss, Jacob's heart and mind seemed to stop. It's like the

whole world has caved in on him. His grief is inconsolable and is broken in spirit.

He has isolated himself from his sons except Benjamin and has fallen into a deep

period of mourning and depression. Nothing in this world has any meaning to his life.

Already saddened with the death of his favourite wife Rachel, Jacob was already

paralyzed and something inside him has died. Now with his Joseph's incident, it has

really taken a toll on him. The grief was is so great that none can replace him

except with a little hope from Benjamin. He has a kind of fatalist attitude towards

life. He becomes unapproachable, shun people. He no longer cares about himself and

his relationship with people and also with God.

[Vincent Paul DiMino]

If we find that our Heavenly Father tells us that he loves Israel,and blesses all who bless Israel and curses all who curse Israel,does that make us love Israel,as we love our Lord,and so be blessed ourselves,or does envy cause us to curse the object of divine love, and thereby curse ourselves?

It appears to me that Jacob's hope for the future was in his son Joseph.It doesn't seem that he believed that the promise he received was as real to him as the son he loved.With hope for Joseph gone,he appears to have lost hope itself.

It may be, that we have to loose our faith in everything we can verify by our senses,in order to fully receive the divine gift of real faith in God.

[Greta]

When the brothers brought the blood stained robe to Jacob, they were showing their father that Joseph was dead, even though they didn't say so. There was no hope left for Jacob, that he might ever see Joseph again.

Jacob is devestated, and what a shock he had to endure, he is a broken man. It was a life changing moment for Jacob and he was never the same again. I think that all of the heart went out of him and he felt he had nothing more to live for.

His future behaviour shows Jacob clinging to Benjamin, Rachel's younger son, an unhealthy position for both father and son.

Love from Greta

[Elwood C O'Dell]

When the sons brought the robe to Jacob I feel they had an attitude of deep dislike and even hatred towards their father for the way he had treated Joseph over the years. They intended to cover up the truth even though they knew it would really bring anguish and hurt him. This would cause Jacob much grief and sorrow until he found out the truth that Joseph was alive.

[okno]

What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons

[JanMary]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35) What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons' attitude toward their father?

It speaks of cruelty and hardness of heart caused by bitterness and resentment over their Father's favoritism of Joseph. It represents vengeance and "payback" and a sick "victory" in removing Joseph and making it look as if he was dead. They clearly had little respect for their father. They despised Joseph and chose to devastate Jacob through destroying Joseph.

How does this loss affect Jacob?

It was devastating! Like a death blow emotionally to Jacob. Isaac was an idol to Abraham, yet he was willing to sacrifice him on God's altar. Isaac favored Esau to the point of ignoring God's position for Jacob, so Jacob was aware of the cruelty and danger of favoring Joseph, who was an idol to him. His sons decided to take it upon themselves to "sacrifice" Joseph to the Midianites, believing he'd never be seen or heard from again. Jacob grieved endlessly and was in a deep depression over the loss of Joseph. The promise faded to a distant memory for him seeming to have no more significance for his future after Joseph "died".

How do you think it affects his future behavior?

In destroying Joseph, they destroyed their father as well. He was a broken man who gave up his responsibilities and "shut down" as the patriarch, allowing his sons to do the work. He lived from then on with a fatalistic view of life. I wonder if he gave up on God as well, since we all know that "the Lord gives and the Lord takes away". Depression is "anger turned inward". He didn't ever seem to move beyond this "stuck" place. I've also wondered if he was angry at himself. When Rachel hid her father's idols and Laban came after the family, Jacob unwittingly cursed Rachel..."May whoever has stolen your idols not live." Gen.31:32 Rachel died prematurely in childbirth after giving birth to Benjamin, Joseph's younger brother. Words spoken have the power of life and death, as it says in Proverbs.

[JanMary]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35) What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons' attitude toward their father?

It speaks of cruelty and hardness of heart caused by bitterness and resentment over their Father's favoritism of Joseph. It represents vengeance and "payback" and a sick "victory" in removing Joseph and making it look as if he was dead. They clearly had little respect for their father. They despised Joseph and chose to devastate Jacob through destroying Joseph.

How does this loss affect Jacob?

It was devastating! Like a death blow emotionally to Jacob. Isaac was an idol to Abraham, yet he was willing to sacrifice him on God's altar. Isaac favored Esau to the point of ignoring God's position for Jacob, so Jacob was aware of the cruelty and danger of favoring Joseph, who was an idol to him. His sons decided to take it upon themselves to "sacrifice" Joseph to the Midianites, believing he'd never be seen or heard from again. Jacob grieved endlessly and was in a deep depression over the loss of Joseph. The promise faded to a distant memory for him seeming to have no more significance for his future after Joseph "died".

How do you think it affects his future behavior?

In destroying Joseph, they destroyed their father as well. He was a broken man who gave up his responsibilities and "shut down" as the patriarch, allowing his sons to do the work. He lived from then on with a fatalistic view of life. I wonder if he gave up on God as well, since we all know that "the Lord gives and the Lord takes away". Depression is "anger turned inward". He didn't ever seem to move beyond this "stuck" place. I've also wondered if he was angry at himself. When Rachel hid her father's idols and Laban came after the family, Jacob unwittingly cursed Rachel..."May whoever has stolen your idols not live!" Gen. 31:32 She died prematurely in childbirth after giving birth to Benjamin, Joseph's younger brother. Words spoken have the power of life and death, as it says in Proverbs.

[leihaynes]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35) What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons

[haar]

The blood stained robe beloging to Joseph brought to Jacob showed that his sons sons hated him because of his preferential love of Joseph. The perceived loss caused so much grieve and sadness to Jacob that he thought he did not have any reason to live.

[Craig]

Q1. (Genesis 37:31-35) What does bringing the blood-stained robe to Jacob say about these sons