Q2. Jacob's Depression

[quilter]

I THINK JOSEPH WAS VERY AFRAID. HE POSIBBILE THOUGHT HIS SON BENJAMIN WOULD BE TAKEN.

I DON'T THINK HE WAS THINKING STRIAGHT. HE WAS TRYING TO FIX IT HIMSELF WITHOUT

ASKING GOD FOR GUIDANCE.

[Delivered]

Q2. (Genesis 42:35-43:14) What is Jacob's state of mind after the first trip to Egypt?

Due to the great drought going on in the land and the fact that there is very little grain left to feed his large family and servants, his state of mind has to be that of great concern for his family, great responsibility was upon his shoulders.

Q. If you were a psychologist, how would you diagnose him, and Why do you think Jacob changed his mind about going again to secure grain?

Not being a psychologist I would have to answer it as a person of mankind, I would diagnose him as a man who has already faced many trials and pain, and he now finds himself faced with even more serious problems and he has to make some good decisions, there is no time left, I see Jacob stepping up to the plate, ready to make them, no matter what the cost may be!

He decided to send his youngest son and also he had wisdom enough to send along with them, the best of what the land had to offer during this time of drought.

Q. What factors have paralyzed Jacob mentally and spiritually?

For me, I do not see Jacob as a man paralyzed mentally or spiritually. I have to say, "I think it must have been a tough period of time to live back then, there were no Government programs to fall back on for him and his family, he had to always rely on the One True God, the God his father who has always been there for him, just as we do not know what tomorrow holds, but we do know who holds tomorrow, that is how I see Jacob, a man who is ready to take whatever tomorrow holds."

[nurselaino]

Q2. (Genesis 42:35-43:14) What is Jacob

[Jen]

Q2. (Genesis 42:35-43:14) What is Jacob

[linda bass]

Jacob's state of mind after the first trip to Egypt was a combination of depression and being paranoid. He believed everyone and everything was against him because he had lost so much.

If I was a psychologist,I would probably diagnose Jacob as having severe depression.

The factors that have paralyzed Jacob mentally and spiritually are losing those he loved the most. First his parents Isaac and Rebekiah, the his beloved wife Rachel,and finally his favorite son Joseph. The thought of losing Benjamin,the only son of Rachel's left,probably sent Jacob over the edge. Plus during this period,there is no evidence in scripture of Jacob turning to God or seeking His will.

I think Jacob changed his mind about going to Egypt again to secure grain because what they got last time was nearly depleted and the family was in danger of starving. Both Reuben and Judah had guaranteed Benjamin's safe return from Egypt. I believe no matter how deep Jacob's grief was, he was still the head of his household. I believe he took the responsibility of providing for them very seriously.

[Pearl]

43:14) What is Jacob

[PATCH]

Q2. (Genesis 42:35-43:14) What is Jacob

[royk]

Q2. (Genesis 42:35-43:14) What is Jacob

[DrD]

Jacob is depressed and as a result parania has set in - he has become fearful and unwilling to trust anyone - eventhose who are closest to him. . .

I believe that Jacobis overcome with grief and has not yet gotten over the loss and/or appeared loss of those he has a very deep love for - and as a result this has, in a sense, paralized him mentally and spiritually. . . In times past he had a lot of confidnce in himself - in his abilities to work through things or to work things out on his own - but now it appears that he doesn't even attempt to rectify things. . . At Piniel he went through a trabsformation and began to look to God to work things out for him - but again,here it seems that he has not made any attempt to cal on God or to get Him involved.

I feel Jacob changed his maind and allowed Benjamin to go with his brothers to Egypt because because there was no other way out of the situation they wee facing. . . However, had he consulted God maybe God would have worked things out a different way. . .

Proverbs 3:5-7 (KJV)

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)

13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

[l.a.]

Q2. (Genesis 42:35-43:14) What is Jacobs state of mind after the first trip to Egypt? If you were a psychologist, how would you diagnose him? What factors have paralyzed Jacob mentally and spiritually? Why do you think Jacob changed his mind about going again to secure grain?

When Jacob's sons return with grain and money, Jacob is suspicious of the situation; maybe even paranoid. He acts as though there is a conspiracy to take Bejamin away from him and he resists the return to Egypt. Jacob is too consumed by grief and self-pity to be able to think of what is best for 'the whole.' Jacob finally recognizes that a return to Egypt is inevitable and finally turns to God for protection and blessing.

[Guitar Jim]

Q2. (Genesis 42:35-43:14) What is Jacob’s state of mind after the first trip to Egypt?

Jacob has been depressed for years and now he perceives yet another threat to his world . . . the loss of Benjamin. He retreats further inside himself and cannot face what the world has thrown at him.

If you were a psychologist, how would you diagnose him?

I'm not acquainted with the technical terms but here goes: I think Jacob suffers from severe long term depression following the "death" of Joseph , paranoia brought on by the threat of losing his only remaining beloved son, and maybe a persecution complex as well. He feels trapped inside his own world and can see no way out.

What factors have paralyzed Jacob mentally and spiritually?

He's in the grip of panic because of the threat of losing Benjamin. Severe enough panic can actually paralyze a person and make them unable to think clearly, act decisively, and generally function normally.

Why do you think Jacob changed his mind about going again to secure grain?

The worsening famine would probably have made Jacob finally understand that he had to do what the man in Egypt demanded in order to feed the family. There was simply no other option.

[pastor neal]

Q2. (Genesis 42:35-43:14) What is Jacob

[wifee]

2a)Jacob is anxious &fearful after knowing that Simeon had been detained in egypt

B)Paranoid depressive.

c)he is broken by deaths of mother,mother’s nurse,father, wife and loss of Jacob &simeon and also angry that his sons want to also take Benjamin to receive grain from Eygpt.d)However he changed his mind about sons going again to Egypt,to fulfil duty of seeking provisions from elsewhere to provide for family when their food stocks were low.

[Old Jerry]

Jacob’s state of mind after the first trip to Egypt is that of not wanting to let anybody else go to Egypt because he keeps losing his sons there. If I were a psychologist I would diagnose him as being paranoid. The thing that have paralyzed Jacob mentally and spiritually is the loss of some family members especially, his favorite wife Rachel. I think that Jacob finally realized that they were going to starve to death if they didn’t get anymore grain therefore it was worth the chance he had to take.

[Ms. Green]

Q2. (Genesis 42:35-43:14) What is Jacob�s state of mind after the first trip to Egypt? If you were a psychologist, how would you diagnose him? What factors have paralyzed Jacob mentally and spiritually? Why do you think Jacob changed his mind about going again to secure grain?

He's devastated. He can't think start or see anything past his pain. He doesn't want to deal with the issue at hand. He'd rather leave Simeon in prison in Egypt than to send Benjamin and help the entire family.

Jacob would be diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety.

With all of the loss he has experienced and also letting his love for Rachel blind him from what he has left, he is no longer turning to God. He probably feels like God has left him or is angry with him. He is still struggling with God at this point. Struggling to trust Him.

Jacob changed his mind because there was nothing else he could do. He had no other choice. As in any situation that God wants us to do one thing and we go the other way, He will make the present way hard in order to get us to turn and do what He wants us to do. Jacob could have avoided running out of food again if he'd sent Benjamin back with the other sons. He was too scared to face loss again.

[Ms. Green]

Q2. (Genesis 42:35-43:14) What is Jacob�s state of mind after the first trip to Egypt? If you were a psychologist, how would you diagnose him? What factors have paralyzed Jacob mentally and spiritually? Why do you think Jacob changed his mind about going again to secure grain?

He's devastated. He can't think start or see anything past his pain. He doesn't want to deal with the issue at hand. He'd rather leave Simeon in prison in Egypt than to send Benjamin and help the entire family.

Jacob would be diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety.

With all of the loss he has experienced and also letting his love for Rachel blind him from what he has left, he is no longer turning to God. He probably feels like God has left him or is angry with him. He is still struggling with God at this point. Struggling to trust Him.

Jacob changed his mind because there was nothing else he could do. He had no other choice. As in any situation that God wants us to do one thing and we go the other way, He will make the present way hard in order to get us to turn and do what He wants us to do. Jacob could have avoided running out of food again if he'd sent Benjamin back with the other sons. He was too scared to face loss again.

[Irmela]

Q2. (Genesis 42:35-43:14)

What is Jacob's state of mind after the first trip to Egypt?

If you were a psychologist, how would you diagnose him?

What factors have paralyzed Jacob mentally and spiritually?

Why do you think Jacob changed his mind about going again to secure grain?

When the brothers returned from Egypt without Simeon, Jacob must have felt that his loved ones were being taken from him, one by one.  Just in a spate of a few yrs it had been Deborah, Isaac, Rachel, seemingly Joseph and now Simeon was in shackles in Egypt, a foreign land.  From the account brought by the brothers, the  'governor' had treated them with doubt. In fact had taken them to be spies.  All this weighed heavily on Jacob's mind.  Then on top of everything the money that had been given for the grain was found in the mouth of the sacks.  This must have been an added worry to Jacob.  Would his sons now also be taken to be dishonest.

(The brothers had settled with the fact that Benjamin was now the favourite. There does not seem to be animosity because of that. )

I think we can easily take that Jacob is very burdened and feels that everything has turned against him.

Jacob is looking at the things that are happening to him and his loved ones, and it does not seem as if he is remembering the promises God had made to him.  He does not see the army of the Lord at this point in time.  I guess in fact he was bound by depression.  There was no light at the end of the tunnel.

The famine was severe in the land. The people would soon be starving.   The people Jacob was responsible for, were many.  He eventually had an almost fatalistic attitude and relented in letting Benjamin go.  But added to this he eventually said:   May El Shaddai grant you mercy.      So he did have a glimpse of hope that if Benjamin went, Simeon would be released, the Governors seeming misgivings would be of the past, and all his remaining sons would return home safely.