Favor פְּנֵ֣י

We are moving into chapter 31 of Genesis with our word for today. פְּנֵ֣י the root of our word is פָּנֶה face, front, head, turned towards, the feelings conveyed by a person’s face, favor. It is used 1,947 times in the Old Testament. The word is used in a literal sense referring to a person’s face. Genesis 43:31 Then he washed his פָּנָ֖יו face and came out. Genesis 17:3 Then Abram fell on his פָּנָ֖יו face. And God said to him. Most of the time it is used in the sense of the feelings conveyed by a person’s face. We see this a lot in Psalms. Psalm 34:5 Those who look to him are radiant; their פָּנֶה faces are never covered with shame. Psalm 44:15 I live in disgrace all day long, and my פָּנַי֙face is covered with shame. Psalm 31:16 Let your פָּנֶה face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. Psalm 27:9 Do not hide your פָּנֶה face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.It is used also to identify these feelings being negative in the sense of being against someone. Leviticus 20:3-6 I myself will set my פָּנַי֙ face against him and will cut him off from his people; for by sacrificing his children to Molech, he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molech and if they fail to put him to death, I myself will set my פָּנַי֙ face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molech. “‘I will set my פָּנַי֙ face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.This is the sense in our chapter today. Genesis 31:1-2 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth.” And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with פְּנֵ֣י favor as before. Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with פְּנֵ֣י favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. Did you notice the contrast that even though Laban no longer turned his face toward or looked at Jacob with favor any longer God did? That is really all that matters is that God’s favor his face, his presence is in our lives. This is why Jacob said the God of my father has been with me. He realizes that is what is really important. As we will see with our word for tomorrow it wasn’t Laban who had Jacob’s best interest at heart. Laban’s favor was not the reason why Jacob prospered. It was because God was with him, because of God’s favor. We see this throughout the Bible. Here is just one example. 2 Samuel 5:9-10 David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces inward. And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him. I will close with this beautiful prayer of blessing. Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his פָּנָ֛יו face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his פָּנָ֛יו face toward you and give you peace.”’