Genesis 36

29 Jan 2026 - Theology

Genesis 36 - The Jacob Story

It turns out that the entire life story of Jacob so far, from Genesis 25 to Genesis 36, is considered a large-scale chiasm by many scholars.

Chiasm:

• A: Abraham’s Other Family Record (25:1-6)
• B: Abraham Dies (25:7-11)
• C: Ishmael’s Family (25:12-18)
• D: Struggle in childbirth, Jacob and Esau born (25:19-34)
• E: Rebekah in a foreign place, pact with foreigners (26:1-34)
• F: Jacob flees Esau (27-28:9)
• G: Messengers (28:10-22)
• H: Arrival at Haran (29:1-30)
• I: Jacob’s wives are fertile (29:31-30:24)

—— Middle ——

• I’: Jacob’s flocks are fertile (30:25-43)
• H’: Flight from Haran (31:1-54)
• G’: Messengers (32:1-32)
• F’: Jacob returns to Esau (33:1-20)
• E’: Dinah in a foreign place, no pact with foreigners (34:1-31)
• D’: Struggle in childbirth, Benjamin born (35:16-21)
• C’: Jacob’s Sons (35:22-26)
• B’: Isaac Dies (35:27-29)
• A’: Esau’s Family Record (36)

Middle

Genesis 30:22-25 - “And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son. And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.”

In this middle portion of the chiasm, we read that Rachel gives birth to a son which she named Joseph, and Jacob decides to return to Canaan. God has singled out Joseph before he was even born. We will read about him next in Genesis.

References

1. The Hebrew - Greek Key Study Bible (KJV Version)
2. Rendsburg, Gary A. (2020) “Chiasmus in the Book of Genesis,” BYU Studies: Vol. 59: Iss. 5, Article 3. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol59/iss5/3