We are moving into chapter 28 of Genesis today where we find our word for today. אִשָּׁה woman, wife, female. It is used 772 times in the Old Testament. We see it first used in the Bible at the very beginning. Genesis 2:22-24 Then the Lord God made a אִשָּׁה woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called אִשָּׁה ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his אִשָּׁה wife, and they become one flesh. You may have noticed that the same Hebrew word is used for woman and wife. It is the context that gives us clues to how to translate it into our more specific words in English. So from the beginning God set up this idea of marriage between a man he created and a woman that he created. Because God created both the man and the woman as the creator he deserves the right to give us direction for not only our individual lives but also marriage. And at the same time he gives us freewill to make our own choices even when they go against our best interests and hurt ourselves and others around us. Because of the mess people, like ourselves, have made of life and marriage we don’t want to make the mistake of blaming God for creating marriage itself.
Our word for today is used a lot in our chapter of Genesis 28. We find it used 6 times. It is interesting the input that Jacob’s parents have with who his wife should be. Genesis 28:1-2 Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and directed him, “You must not take a אִשָּׁה wife from the Canaanite אִשָּׁה women. Arise, go to...your mother's father, and take as your אִשָּׁה wife from there one of the daughters of Laban your mother's brother. Now why would Jacob’s parents say such a thing? From our modern perspective we could easily misinterpret his parent’s intensions. It is always a good idea to look at the surrounding context to help give us clues to the intended meaning. So let’s look at the next verses for help. Genesis 28:3-5 God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!”...This helps because Isaac is tying in his direction of only getting a wife from his family with the purpose that God had called them to accomplish. God’s purpose had been given to Abraham, Isaac and now Jacob. Each of them played a role and a huge part of that role was dependent on their wife. If Jacob gave his heart to a woman who did not know and follow God, then Jacob would not be able to be successful in carrying out his purpose. We find King Solomon ran into this very problem later on in the Old Testament. 1 Kings 11:1-8 Now King Solomon loved many foreign אִשָּׁה women...from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love...And his אִשָּׁה wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his אִשָּׁה wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God...So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord...Then Solomon built a high place...for all his foreign אִשָּׁה wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods. Proverbs 31:10-12 A אִשָּׁה wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. And here is the key for this person to share your life with in the closing of the book of Proverbs. Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a אִשָּׁה woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
