Bible Journaling - Genesis 32

In the last chapter, we saw that Jacob's relationship with his in-laws had soured and it had become necessary for him to move away. It was time for Jacob to return home to the land God had promised him and his descendants. The problem was that he had burned his bridges back home and had left in a hurry to escape a twin brother who had wanted to kill him. In his mind, simply pitching up, is not an option. In Genesis 32 we see how Jacob strategizes his return home, while we learn how he prioritizes the things and people in his life. It is also the chapter in which he wrestles with God - physically! While exploring all of these events, I need to decide how to depict this in pictures. I walk you through these processes, step by step in today's blog.

The chapter once again runs over onto a next page.

Genesis 32 look like this in the Inspire Praise Bible.

I treat the pages with Zellen Clear Gesso before I start.

When I return to the pages, I have already decorated the previous chapter and my pages now look like this.

Jacob starts off by sending messengers to Esau to inform Esau that he is on his way home, with a large group of people and lots of possessions. I draw an envelope to represent the message that was sent.

The messengers return to Jacob with the news that Esau is already on his way with accompanied by an army of 400 men. This terrifies Jacob. He divided his family and possessions and starts praying. I colour the envelope with Faber-Castell Artist's Pitt Pens.

I use a Sharpie marker to seal the envelope and a black fountain pen to write Jacob's name on the seal.

I am now done with the first page of this chapter.

I have already sealed the pages when I turn the page. I have also coloured the illustration in the margin, but I will tell you more about this in the upcoming blog.

Jacob now attempts to buy Esau's good will by sending him gifts of animals. I decide to depict this as a gift-wrapped box, rather than simply drawing animals.

I again use the Pitt pens to colour the image.

That night, when Jacob was alone in the camp, a man came into his camp and he wrestled with the man. When day was about to break, the man hit Jacob on his hip in order to free himself.  Jacob demanded a blessing from the man. He then realizes that the man was God. It was this 'man' who changed Jacob's name to Israel. Henceforth, he would be called Israel, the forefather after whom the nation of Israel was called. His twelve sons (Benjamin would be born soon) would carry the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.

I use the Pitt pens to draw and colour two male figures wrestling. I decide to obscure the details of the figures a little. I also write the name Jacob on the page, but cross it out and write the name Israel directly below it.

I finally deicide to add a little more detail to the figures and provide a little bit of an outline with a black fountain pen.

I have now illustrated the whole of the chapter.

I page back to get an overview of what I have done.

You can watch a short compilation video of the steps above on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/P7JjoEE-hGI

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2005,2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois, 60188. All rights reserved.

Inspire PRAISE South Africa edition copyright 2017 by Christian Art Publishers, PO Box 1599, Vereeniging, 1930, RSA. All rights reserved.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
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