Genesis 33: 13 -17: “And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die. Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir. And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord. So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.”
Now that Jacob felt confident that Esau didn’t want to kill him any more, he thought about his own family and the flocks and herds. He may be excused for wanting to make sure that he protected himself first so that he would then be in a position to protect his family for if he were dead what would happen to them. Of course, before he married Rachel she was looking after her father’s stock so she may have been able to manage his property. The other wives would also have some skills so maybe he should have shown more courage and fought to protect his family. Jacob was commended in Hebrews 11: 21 (“By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.”) It is interesting to note that he wasn’t commended for what he achieved in life but for the fact that he understood that there was a future in God’s hands. He blessed his grandsons knowing that God would continue to keep His promise to bless Abraham’s descendants. Jacob went from this meeting to a place called Succoth where e built a house and made stalls for his stock. Jacob had spent at least twenty years wandering around but now he was ready to settle down. Jacob met with God and knew that he could rest in God’s promises. He chose to settle in a fertile place on the eastern side of the Jordan valley Joshua 13: 27 9 “And in the valley, Betharam, and Bethnimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border, even unto the edge of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward.”)tells us that Succoth was in the area that two and half tribes chose for their inheritance (see the rest of Josh 13.). We learn that this land was good land for stock (see Numbers 32: 4, 5 “Even the country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle: Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.”) Jacob was a wealthy man and the Lord gave him a good place for his herds and flocks and He gave him rest as well. Anyone who submits to the Lord and trusts in Him can find rest for their souls (compare Jer 6: 16, 17 “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”)
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
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