2016.12.30 10:02
이삭 166세, 야곱 106세, 요셉 16세
Isaac's age, 166; Jacob's age, 106; Joseph's age, 16
(1) 베냐민의 출생(창 35:16-18)
디나 사건 후에 벧엘에 도착하여 단을 쌓고 예배를 드린 야곱은 다시 벧엘을 떠나 에브랏을 향했습니다(창 35:16). 벧엘에서 에브랏까지는 약 24㎞입니다. 요셉을 낳은 후에 그렇게도 둘째 아들을 바랐던 라헬은(창 30:24), 에브랏 길에서 베냐민을 낳고 그 소망을 이루었습니다. 그러나 난산 끝에 죽게 되었고, 라헬은 죽음에 임박하여 그 혼이 떠나려 할 때에는 아들의 이름을 “베노니”(슬픔의 아들)라고 불렀습니다. 그러나 그 아비 야곱은 그를 “베냐민”(오른손의 아들)이라고 고쳐 불렀습니다(창 35:18). 성경에서 ‘오른편’은 특별한 의미를 지니고 있습니다. 그 어떤 세력도 물리칠 수 있는 강한 힘과 권세(출 15:6, 시 17:7, 18:35, 118:15-16, 사 62:8), 어려움에 처한 자를 건져 주시려고 하나님께서 서 계신 자리(시 16:8, 109:31, 121:5), 축복의 자리(창 48:14), 구원 받는 지혜자의 자리(전 10:2, 마 25:33-34), 하나님의 위엄과 영광의 자리(왕상 2:19, 시 80:17, 110:1, 5, 막 14:62, 눅 22:69, 히 1:3, 8:1)를 상징합니다.
베냐민은 야곱이 사랑하는 아내 라헬에게서 낳은 두 번째 아들로(창 35:24), 아버지 야곱의 특별한 사랑을 받았습니다. 아들들을 애굽으로 양식을 구하러 보내면서 가장 사랑하는 베냐민마저 떠나 보낼 수밖에 없었을 때, 야곱은 오장육부가 다 찢기는 아픔과 슬픔을 겪었을 것입니다(창 43:6, 44:20).
창세기 42:38 “야곱이 가로되 내 아들은 너희와 함께 내려가지 못하리니 그의 형은 죽고 그만 남았음이라 만일 너희 행하는 길에서 재난이 그 몸에 미치면 너희가 나의 흰 머리로 슬피 음부로 내려가게 함이 되리라”
특히, 식량을 구하기 위해 형제들과 함께 애굽에 내려갔을 때 베냐민은 형 요셉으로부터 식물을 형제보다 5배 더 받았습니다(창 43:34). 또한 형제들은 각기 옷 한 벌씩을 받았으나 베냐민은 은 300과 옷 다섯 벌을 받았습니다(창 45:22).
박윤식 목사, “잊어버렸던 만남” (휘선, 2016), 225-226쪽 中
Birth of Benjamin and death of Rachel (Gen 35:27)
Reunion with Isaac at Hebron (Gen 35:27)
1900 BC (estimated), 182nd Year of the Covenant of the Torch
Isaac's age, 166; Jacob's age, 106; Joseph's age, 16
After the Dinah episode, Jacob arrived at Bethel and built an altar there. Then, he departed from Bethel again and journeyed toward Ephrath (Gen 35:15-18). Rachel had dearly longed for a second son after Joseph was born (Gen 30:24). Her wish was fulfilled when she gave birth to Benjamin on the way to Ephrath, but she died after a hard labor.
Her hard labor was presumably due to the fact that it was in the middle of a journey and she was 16 years older than when she had Joseph. These factors could have contributed to her death. Rachel was buried on the way to Ephrath (i.e., Bethlehem), and Jacob set up a pillar over her grave (Gen 35:19-20).
Even before Jacob could be consoled after losing his most beloved wife, as he journeyed from Ephrath and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder, he heard that his son Reuben had relations with Bilhah, his concubine (Gen 35:21-22).
After leaving Laban's house, Jacob dwelt in the land of Shechem (Gen 33:18) and passed through Bethel and Ephrath (i.e., Bethlehem). It took him about ten years since he left Laban's house until he finally arrived in Hebron where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt together (Gen 35:27; 37:1). He had an emotional reunion with his father, Isaac, after about 30 years since he had fled from Esau to Paddan-aram (Gen 28) (see Excursus 3: "The Number of Years that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph Lived Together"). The 30 years is a sum of the 20 years of his stay at his uncle Laban's house and about ten years of his stay in Shechem after his departure from Laban's house. Isaac was now about 166 years old, and Jacob was 106 years old, so it is estimated that Jacob lived 14 more years with Isaac until Isaac died.
Joseph was 16 years old when Jacob returned to Hebron and reunited with Isaac. This was not long after Joseph lost his mother, Rachel. After this, at the age of 17, Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt as a result of his brothers' jealousy. Thus, he spent about one year with his grandfather Isaac. Joseph was probably greatly influenced by Isaac during this year. One year sas a short period of time, but it was the precious time needed to inherit the covenant and deeply establish the root and foundation for his faith.
