Favoritism

How Nave’s arranged it

• INSTANCES OF
• Jacob, for RachelGenesis 29:30Genesis 29:34
• Elkanah, for Hannah1 Samuel 1:41 Samuel 1:5
• Rebekah, for JacobGenesis 27:6–17
• Jacob, for JosephGenesis 37:3Genesis 37:4
• Joseph, for BenjaminGenesis 43:34
• Forbidden in parentsDeuteronomy 21:15–17
• See Partiality

The passages, in Bible order (9)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 9 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 27:6–17

   Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Behold, I overheard your father saying to your brother Esau,

   ›Commentary on Genesis 27:6–171 voice

   “And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son,.... Who was in the tent with her, and for whom she had the strongest affection: saying, behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother; heard the conversation that passed between them, and particularly what Isaac had given in charge to Esau: saying, as follows:

   Everything gathered on Genesis 27:6–17→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Genesis 29:30

   Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 29:302 voices

   “In that journey Jacob took two wives, and those two wives prefigured the two people of the Jews and the Gentiles. For at Christ's coming not a small number even of the Jewish people are read to have believed in him, and again in the …

   “And he went in also unto Rachel,.... Cohabited with her as his wife: and he loved also Rachel more than Leah; she was his first love, and he retained the same love for her he ever had; as appears by his willingness to agree to the same condition of seven years' servitude more for her sake, and which he performed as follows: and served with him, yet seven other years; that is, Jacob served so many years with Laban after he had married his two daughters, and fulfilled the weeks of feasting for each of them.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 29:30→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Genesis 29:34

   Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 29:342 voices

   “(Verse 34) And she conceived again, and bore a son, and said: Now my husband will be with me, because I have borne him three sons: therefore she called his name Levi. When we read, 'My husband will be with me,' Aquila interpreted it as, 'My husband will be attached to me,' which is the Hebrew word (), Illave.

   “And she conceived again, and bare a son,.... A third time, as soon as she well could after the former birth: and said, now this time will my husband be joined to me; in greater affection and stronger ties of love, and cleave unto her: because I have born him three sons; which she considered as a threefold cord, binding his affections to her, which could not be easily broke: and therefore was his name called Levi; which signifies "joined"; from him the Levites sprung, and had their name.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 29:34→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Genesis 37:3

   Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 37:32 voices

   “And so we are taught the proper nature of parental love and filial gratitude. It is pleasant to love one's children and very pleasant to love them exceedingly, but often even parental love does harm to the children unless it is practiced with restraint; for it may give the beloved child free rein out of excessive indulgence or, by preference shown to one child, may alienate the others from the spirit of brotherly love. That son gains more who gains the love of his brothers.

   “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children,.... He being the firstborn of his beloved Rachel, and a lovely youth, of a beautiful aspect, very promising, prudent and pious: the reason given in the text follows: because he was the son of his old age; being ninety one years of age when he was born; and the youngest children are generally most beloved, and especially such as are born to their parents when in years.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 37:3→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Genesis 37:4

   When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 37:42 voices

   “And Joseph was loved by his father a great deal. And he gave him a multicolored garment as an excellent gift and a proof of the love with which he accompanied him. And this was an incentive to envy for his brothers and a cause of hatred, as the following events will demonstrate. In fact, the Pharisees were inflamed with anger against the beloved, that is, Christ, because he had been clothed by God the Father with a multiform glory.

   “And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 37:4→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Genesis 43:34

   When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 43:342 voices

   “Joseph, as I was saying, was a holy man who conquered cruelty with true piety; who was sold into Egypt not by chance but that he might supply Egypt with food and his own brothers too, who had sold him. That Joseph invited his brothers to dine. But just listen to what happened: "And he drank, and became merry at noon." Is that true, and is it literally possible that a holy man became drunk? Noah also was inebriated but had been really inebriated. Joseph had been intoxicated; Noah also was intoxicated in his own house.

   “And he took and sent messes unto there from before him,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 43:34→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Deuteronomy 21:15–17

   If a man has two wives, one beloved and the other unloved, and both bear him sons, but the unloved wife has the firstborn son,

   ›Commentary on Deuteronomy 21:15–172 voices

   “And inasmuch as my discourse took as a proof of its assertion that passage in the Book of Deuteronomy which speaks of the man who had two wives, one beloved and the other hated, you seem to have felt much concern lest any one should suppose this man had taken to himself two souls, which is impossible.

   “If a man have two wives,.... Which is supposed, but not approved of, though permitted because of the hardness of men's hearts; for it was not so from the beginning, when only one man and one woman were created, and joined together in marriage; but as it was connived at, and become customary, a law is made to prevent confusion, and preserve order in families: one beloved and another hated; or less loved, yet continued his wife, and not divorced.

   Everything gathered on Deuteronomy 21:15–17→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. 1 Samuel 1:4

   And whenever the day came for Elkanah to present his sacrifice, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.

   ›Commentary on 1 Samuel 1:42 voices

   “14. What day do we believe this to be, except the one which Isaiah established by the testimony of the sacred Scriptures, saying: "He shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer shall be silent, and shall not open his mouth" (Isaiah 53:7)? For the day came when the brilliance of the promised oracle revealed the time of the Lord's passion. Then Elkanah sacrificed, because our Redeemer offered himself to the eternal Father in the sacrifice of our absolution through the death of the cross.

   “And when the time was that Elkanah offered,.... That is, brought his offering to the priest, to offer it for him, which was at one of the three festivals. According to R.

   Everything gathered on 1 Samuel 1:4→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. 1 Samuel 1:5

   But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb.

   ›Commentary on 1 Samuel 1:52 voices

   “(Moral Exposition) The sons of Peninnah are the counsels of the holy mind, which grow through the pursuit of piety in the active life. These sons receive portions with their mother when the counsels of piety grow rich in devotion to good works unto the splendor of heavenly grace. For the pious mind, the more sublimely it is raised in divine contemplation, the more devoutly it extends itself in holy action. For the portions of this mother and her sons are the preparations for holy works.

   “But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion,....

   Everything gathered on 1 Samuel 1:5→

   Verse page →Original language →