Genesis 27:46-28:5

     Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am weary of my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite¹ women such as these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?"
     Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, "You shall not marry one of the Canaanite women.² Go at once to Paddan-aram to the house of Bethuel, your mother's father; and take as wife from there one of the daughters of Laban³, your mother's brother. May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and numerous, that you may become a company of peoples. May he give to you the blessing of Abraham⁴, to you and to your offspring with you, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien--land that God gave to Abraham."
     Thus Isaac sent Jacob away; and he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.

^[1] The family is threatened unless they maintain racial purity.
^[2] Issac makes the desire a command.
^[3] He gives Jacob a means to obey the command.
^[4] Issac explicitly passes the blessing of Abraham down to his son.

Take-home: The blessings of Abraham, of fertility and the promised land, are passed down another generation. But in order to maintain family unity, the promised land must be kept to and racial purity must be maintained.

Genesis 27:1-27:45

When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called his elder son Esau and said to him, "My son"; and he answered, "Here I am."¹ He said, "See, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and hunt² game for me. Then prepare for me savory food, such as I like, and bring it to me to eat, so that I may bless you³ before I die."
     Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "I heard your father say to your brother Esau, 'Bring me game, and prepare for me savory food to eat, that I may bless you before the LORD before I die.' Now therefore, my son, obey my word as I command you. Go to the flock, and get me two choice kids, so that I may prepare from them savory food for your father, such as he likes; and you shall take it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you⁴ before he dies."
     But Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, "Look, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a man of smooth skin⁵. Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him, and bring a curse on myself and not a blessing."⁶
     His mother said to him, "Let your curse be on me⁷, my son; only obey my word, and go, get them for me."
     So he went and got them and brought them to his mother; and his mother prepared savory food, such as his father loved. Then Rebekah took the best garments of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob; and she put the skins of the kids on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. Then she handed the savory food, and the bread that she had prepared, to her son Jacob. So he went in to his father, and said, "My father"; and he said, "Here I am⁸; who are you, my son?" Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau⁹ your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, so that you may bless me."
     But Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?"¹⁰
     He answered, "Because the LORD your God¹¹ granted me success."
     Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau¹² or not."
     So Jacob went up to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau." He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands; so he blessed him. He said, "Are you really my son Esau?"
     He answered, "I am."¹³
     Then he said, "Bring it to me, that I may eat of my son's game and bless you." So he brought it to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come near and kiss me, my son." So he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him, and said, "Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed. May God give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!"¹⁴
     As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of his father Isaac, his brother Esau came in from his hunting. He also prepared savory food, and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, "Let my father sit up and eat of his son's game, so that you may bless me."
     His father Isaac said to him, "Who are you?"
     He answered, "I am your firstborn son, Esau."
     Then Isaac trembled violently,¹⁵ and said, "Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him?--yes, and blessed he shall be!"¹⁶
     When Esau heard his father's words, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry,¹⁷ and said to his father, "Bless me, me also, father!"
     But he said, "Your brother came deceitfully¹⁸, and he has taken away your blessing."
     Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright; and look, now he has taken away my blessing." Then he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing¹⁹ for me?"
     Isaac answered Esau, "I have already made him your lord, and I have given him all his brothers as servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?"
     Esau said to his father, "Have you only one blessing, father? Bless me, me also, father!"²⁰ And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
     Then his father Isaac answered him: "See, away from the fatness of the earth shall your home be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you break loose, you shall break his yoke from your neck."²¹
     Now Esau hated²² Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob."
     But the words of her elder son Esau were told to Rebekah; so she sent and called her younger son Jacob and said to him, "Your brother Esau is consoling himself by planning to kill you. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice²³; flee at once²⁴ to my brother Laban in Haran, and stay with him a while, until your brother's fury turns away--until your brother's anger against you turns away, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send, and bring you back from there. Why should I lose both²⁵ of you in one day?"

^[1] Is that an allusion to Genesis 22 or just dialogue?
^[2] Emphasizing Esau's masculinity again.
^[3] Issac is planning to bless the elder son.
^[4] The sibling rivalry is usually emphasized, but now the marital rivalry is what really sticks out to me. Issac and Rebekah are subtly competing over which son will be blessed.
^[5] Masculinity/femininity difference is emphasized again.
^[6] He is afraid of the consequences if he is caught, not the moral right/wrong of the action.
^[7] Her favor for Jacob is so strong that she is willing to take the consequences herself.
^[8] That personal address is made again.
^[9] Deception is intensified - he brings the food, wears the clothes, wears the skins, and finally claims outright that he is Esau.
^[10] Esau's questions are odd, but they force Jacob to lie more and more.
^[11] Not only does he lie, but he includes God in his lie.
^[12] Issac has so much doubt it is remarkable. But Jacob keeps trying.
^[13] Another direct lie.
^[14] The blessing contains promises of bounty and power (over both family and nations).
^[15] The realization that he has been deceived disturbs him a great deal.
^[16] Even though it was born of deception, the blessing cannot be taken back.
^[17] He is greatly wounded by what has happened.
^[18] The deceit is made explicit.
^[19] Esau is desperate to at least get something.
^[20] His desperation increases.
^[21] Quite a bitter blessing. My study bible states that this is also explaining the relationship between the Israelites (people of Jacob) and the Edomites (people of Esau).
^[22] The act of deceit has led to hatred and great division.
^[23] The third time she has used this "obey my voice" phrase. Jacob is definitely a mama's boy.
^[24] The act of deception has forced the mother and son who love each other to be separated.
^[25] "lose both of you" - is that implying that she will lose Esau if he murders Jacob, or that she has already lost him due to what she has done?


Take-home: Jacob and Rebekah conspire together to direct the blessing intended for Esau to Jacob instead. Jacob is worried about the potential consequences, but does not appear concerned about the morality of the action. They succeed in getting the blessing for Jacob, but at the cost of great distress to Issac and Esau and a physical tearing apart of their family.

Genesis 26:34-26:35

     When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite¹, and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite; and they made life bitter² for Isaac and Rebekah.

^[1] Not of the chosen people.
^[2] Just as Hagar had made life bitter for Sarah.


Take-home: Just as in the stories of Lamech's wives and Abraham's wives, having multiple wives once again brings conflict into the family. Though the focus here is on their status as foreigners and not on the fact that there are two of them, it is interesting to me that mentions of multiple wives always include negative associations.

Genesis 26:1-26:33

     Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar, to King Abimelech of the Philistines. The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt¹; settle in the land that I shall show you. Reside in this land as an alien, and I will be with you, and will bless you²; for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will fulfill the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven, and will give to your offspring all these lands; and all the nations of the earth shall gain blessing for themselves through your offspring,³ because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.⁴" So Isaac settled in Gerar.
     When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, "She is my sister"; for he was afraid to say, "My wife," thinking, "or else the men of the place might kill me for the sake of Rebekah, because she is attractive in appearance."⁵
     When Isaac had been there a long time, King Abimelech of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw him⁶ fondling his wife Rebekah. So Abimelech called for Isaac, and said, "So she is your wife! Why then did you say, 'She is my sister'?"
     Isaac said to him, "Because I thought I might die because of her."⁷
     Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us."⁸ So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, "Whoever touches this man or his wife shall be put to death⁹."
     Isaac sowed seed in that land, and in the same year reaped a hundredfold¹⁰. The LORD blessed him, and the man became rich¹¹; he prospered more and more until he became very wealthy. He had possessions of flocks and herds, and a great household, so that the Philistines envied¹² him. (Now the Philistines had stopped up and filled with earth all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham.) And Abimelech said to Isaac, "Go away from us¹³; you have become too powerful for us."
     So Isaac departed from there and camped in the valley of Gerar and settled there. Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham; for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he gave them the names that his father had given them. But when Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, the herders of Gerar quarreled¹⁴ with Isaac's herders, saying, "The water is ours." So he called the well Esek, because they contended with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also; so he called it Sitnah. He moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he called it Rehoboth, saying, "Now the LORD has made room for us¹⁵, and we shall be fruitful in the land." From there he went up to Beer-sheba.
     And that very night the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham; do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you¹⁶ and make your offspring numerous for my servant Abraham's sake." So he built an altar there, called on the name of the LORD¹⁷, and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac's servants dug a well.
     Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army. Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?"
     They said, "We see plainly that the LORD has been with you;¹⁸ so we say, let there be an oath between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you so that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace.¹⁹ You are now the blessed of the LORD." So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank.²⁰
     In the morning they rose early and exchanged oaths; and Isaac set them on their way, and they departed from him in peace²¹. That same day Isaac's servants came and told him about the well that they had dug, and said to him, "We have found water!" He called it Shibah; therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba²² to this day.

^[1] Where his father had gone after the famine. This message from the Lord is reminiscent of Genesis 12:1.
^[2] Not only is the blessing passed down to Isaac, it is made explicit to him.
^[3] Blessed with offspring, land, and to be a blessing to the nations.
^[4] A reason is given for the blessing now - because Abraham was obedient.
^[5] Exact same mistake his father made! With the same king too.
^[6] Poor window placement.
^[7] Totally parallels previous story with father.
^[8] Abimelech explicitly points out why it was a bad idea.
^[9] Wow! Strong reaction.
^[10] Issac still is blessed anyway.
^[11] Wealth is a blessing for him.
^[12] But it brings more problems.
^[13] More problems - he who was once welcome is now banished.
^[14] Just as his father had quarreled with them over wells.
^[15] Gives glory to God.
^[16] Blessing is repeated.
^[17] Like his father, he responds with worship.
^[18] They have moved from envy to respect. Why? Because they see how Abraham has continued to prosper.
^[19] Yet again peace is found via negotiation, not violence. They are able to use their previous acts of nonviolence to support their negotiation.
^[20] Celebration!
^[21] Peace!
^[22] Different explanation from Genesis 21:31. My study bible describes this whole story as the Yahwist's version of the Elohist's Abraham stories regarding lying about his wife, wells, and King Abimelech.

Take-home: Abraham's story is continued through Issac - he inherits not only the blessings, but also the conflict, deceit, worship, wells, relationships, etc.  Wealth is seen as a blessing, but it also brings issues, which are solved nonviolently and lead to celebration.

Genesis 25:19-25:34

     These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren¹; and the LORD granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived². The children struggled together³ within her; and she said, "If it is to be this way, why do I live?" So she went to inquire of the LORD.
     And the LORD said to her, "Two nations⁴ are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided⁵; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger⁶."
     When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
     When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.⁷ Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
     Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field,⁸ and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!" (Therefore he was called Edom.)
     Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright."⁹
     Esau said, "I am about to die¹⁰; of what use is a birthright to me?"
     Jacob said, "Swear to me first."
     So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.¹¹

^[1] Barrenness is an issue again.
^[2] So much quicker than his parents!
^[3] Foreshadowing
^[4] Nations are descending from Abraham.
^[5] Refers to conflict between Israelites and Edomites.
^[6] Breaks with cultural norm.
^[7] Masculine/feminine roles.
^[8] More masculine/feminine roles.
^[9] Devious! Taking advantage of his brother.
^[10] Overdramatic.
^[11] Is it saying that he despised his birthright because of what he had done, or that because he despised his birthright he did such a thing?


Take-home: The conflict between Esau and Jacob is set up, foreshadowing the conflict between the Edomites and the Israelites. The theme of barrenness is continued while the theme of the younger son supplanting the elder is begun. Jacob represents a more feminine side, while Esau represents a more masculine side.

Genesis 25:12-25:18

     These are the descendants of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's slave-girl, bore to Abraham. These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. (This is the length of the life of Ishmael, one hundred thirty-seven years¹; he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people².) They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria; he settled down alongside of all his people.

^[1] Less than Abraham and getting closer to 120.
^[2] Again the "gathered to his people" phrase.


Take-home: Ishmael's descendants and years are set out for completion.

Genesis 25:1-25:11

     Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.¹ Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, while he was still living, and he sent them away² from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.
     This is the length of Abraham's life, one hundred seventy-five³ years. Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people³. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with his wife Sarah. After the death of Abraham God blessed his son Isaac.⁵ And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.

^[1] Interesting that Issac/Ishmael are so important, but we never hear of these six guys.
^[2] Are they away in order to give Issac as much room as possible, or because they'd have a bad influence on Issac?
^[3] Still not down to 120 years, but getting closer.
^[4] What does "gathered to his people" mean?
^[5] As promised, the blessings have passed down from Abraham to Issac.


Take-home: Though Abraham had other sons, Issac is the favored one and all possessions, as well as the special blessing, pass down to him.

Genesis 24:1-24:67

     Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things¹. Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his house, who had charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh² and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and earth³, that you will not get a wife for my son⁴ from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, but will go to my country and to my kindred⁵ and get a wife for my son Isaac."
     The servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land; must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?"
     Abraham said to him, "See to it that you do not take my son back there.⁶ The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and swore to me, 'To your offspring I will give this land,'⁷ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there."⁸ So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
     Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking all kinds of choice gifts from his master; and he set out and went to Aram-naharaim, to the city of Nahor. He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well⁹ of water; it was toward evening, the time when women go out to draw water. And he said, "O LORD¹⁰, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love¹¹ to my master Abraham. I am standing here by the spring of water, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. Let the girl to whom I shall say, 'Please offer your jar that I may drink,' and who shall say, 'Drink, and I will water your camels'--let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master."¹²
     Before he had finished speaking, there was Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, coming out with her water jar on her shoulder. The girl was very fair to look upon, a virgin¹³, whom no man had known. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up.
     Then the servant ran to meet her and said, "Please let me sip a little water from your jar."
     "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will draw for your camels also, until they have finished drinking."¹⁴ So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful.¹⁵
     When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold nose-ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, and said, "Tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?"
     She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor." She added, "We have plenty of straw and fodder and a place to spend the night."¹⁶
     The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD and said, "Blessed be the LORD¹⁷, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken¹⁸ his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me¹⁹ on the way to the house of my master's kin." Then the girl ran and told her mother's household about these things.
     Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to the man, to the spring. As soon as he had seen the nose-ring, and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, "Thus the man spoke to me," he went to the man; and there he was, standing by the camels at the spring. He said, "Come in, O blessed of the LORD²⁰. Why do you stand outside when I have prepared the house²¹ and a place for the camels?" So the man came into the house; and Laban unloaded the camels, and gave him straw and fodder for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
     Then food was set before him to eat; but he said, "I will not eat until I have told my errand."
     He said, "Speak on."
     So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy²²; he has given²³ him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves²⁴, camels and donkeys. And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given him all that he has²⁵. My master made me swear, saying²⁶, 'You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; but you shall go to my father's house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.' I said to my master, 'Perhaps the woman will not follow me.' But he said to me, 'The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you and make your way successful. You shall get a wife for my son from my kindred, from my father's house. Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my kindred; even if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.' "I came today to the spring, and said, 'O LORD²⁷, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will only make successful the way I am going! I am standing here by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, "Please give me a little water from your jar to drink," and who will say to me, "Drink, and I will draw for your camels also"--let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master's son.' "Before I had finished speaking²⁸ in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her water jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, 'Please let me drink.' She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will also water your camels.' So I drank, and she also watered the camels. Then I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.' So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms. Then I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD²⁹, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to obtain the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son. Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly³⁰ with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so that I may turn either to the right hand or to the left."
     Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you anything bad or good.³¹ Look, Rebekah is before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has spoken."
     When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the ground before the LORD³². And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments³³. Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night³⁴ there.
     When they rose in the morning, he said, "Send me back to my master."
     Her brother and her mother said, "Let the girl remain with us a while, at least ten days³⁵; after that she may go."
     But he said to them, "Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey successful³⁶; let me go that I may go to my master."
     They said, "We will call the girl, and ask her³⁷."
     And they called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?"
     She said, "I will."
     So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham's servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, "May you, our sister, become thousands of myriads; may your offspring gain possession of the gates of their foes."³⁸ Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
     Now Isaac³⁹ had come from Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb. Isaac went out in the evening to walk in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, and said to the servant, "Who is the man over there, walking in the field to meet us?"
     The servant said, "It is my master." So she took her veil and covered herself⁴⁰. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done⁴¹. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife⁴²; and he loved⁴³ her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.⁴⁴

^[1] To have been blessed in all things - what a fantastic way to end a life.
^[2] Good thing or bad thing that we don't do this anymore?
^[3] God is lord of both heaven and earth
^[4] Last task of his life is for his beloved son.
^[5] Racial purity is one of the hallmarks of Jewish identity, as the chosen people.
^[6] His son must remain in the promised land.
^[7] Abraham remembers the promise.
^[8] Promised land (another hallmark of Jewish identity) is more important than an immediate marriage.
^[9] The first of many "marriage at the well" narratives.
^[10] The servant trusts in Yahweh too.
^[11] God is a god who shows love.
^[12] The sign is arbitrary, but I have tested God the same way.
^[13] Necessary requirement, I assume. Was her "fair" appearance a necessary requirement too?
^[14] She serves others.
^[15] She has done the required thing, but he still has to make sure that all the other requirements are fulfilled.
^[16] They show kindness to traveling strangers - though knowing about the gold might diminish the meaning of this kindness.
^[17] Like Abraham, the servant thanks God immediately.
^[18] "not forsaken" - God had responded to the test and once again shown "steadfast love".
^[19] God guides the servant too, not just Abraham.
^[20] Laban respects God too.
^[21] He is hospitable too (though he has seen the wealth as well).
^[22] Wealth is a blessing to him.
^[23] All these blessings explicitly come from God.
^[24] Slavery then was different than slavery now, but still had many similarities to property - astonishing that he thanks God for them.
^[25] Shows that this is the favored son. Also shows that the son will be as rich as the father.
^[26] An extremely thorough retelling - cultural tendency.
^[27] Explicitly pointing out that this was God's mission and that he asked God for success.
^[28] God answered quick!
^[29] Worship of the Lord and giving glory to the Lord is emphasized again.
^[30] "loyally and truly" - I'd like to know the Hebrew to get the cultural connotations of those words.
^[31] God's will supersedes all else.
^[32] God is thanked yet again.
^[33] Many material gifts.
^[34] Celebration and hospitality.
^[35] They are sentimental.
^[36] Task is all-important.
^[37] Girl gets to decide!
^[38] Interesting prayer.
^[39] Isaac's first appearance in the story.
^[40] A marriage ceremony-type thing?
^[41] Including how God had led it all, I assume.
^[42] So quick! Does sex = married?
^[43] Does Isaac love her as we think of it, or does this mean something else here... euphemism?
^[44] Isaac is pained by the death of his mother, and his wife in some way replaces that loss.


Take-home: In the marriage of such a significant figure, it is clearly shown that fidelity to the Hebrew people and fidelity to the promised land are essential requirements. God is with them in every step of the process of choosing a wife for Isaac, and is often thanked for it. Those who follow God are widened in this passage, including a servant and many of Abraham's family members.

Genesis 23:1-23:20

     Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years; this was the length of Sarah's life. And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her¹. Abraham rose up from beside his dead, and said to the Hittites, "I am a stranger and an alien² residing among you; give me property³ among you for a burying place, so that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
     The Hittites answered Abraham, "Hear us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold from you any burial ground for burying your dead."
     Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. 8 He said to them, "If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron son of Zohar, so that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying place."
     Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, "No, my lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it; in the presence of my people I give it to you; bury your dead."
     Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. He said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, "If you only will listen to me! I will give the price of the field; accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there."
     Ephron answered Abraham, "My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver⁴--what is that between you and me? Bury your dead."
     Abraham agreed with Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants. So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, passed to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, in the presence of all who went in at the gate of his city. After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. The field and the cave that is in it passed from the Hittites into Abraham's possession as a burying place.

^[1] Very personalized family relationship again.
^[2] As he is an alien, and does not have the advantages of citizens, he asks the people to give special consideration to him.
^[3] I love this look at the culture's respectful bartering process.
^[4] Just slips in the price there!


Take-home: This story shows Abraham's love and respect for Sarah, and tells the origins of the field where many of Israel's most-respected patriarchs and matriarchs would be buried (see the passages to come).

Genesis 22:20-22:24

     Now after these things it was told Abraham, "Milcah also has borne children, to your brother Nahor: Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel." Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother. Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Take-home: This passage supplements the previous genealogies, setting up who Rebekah is for when Isaac needs a wife.

Genesis 22:1-22:19

     After these things God tested¹ Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"²
     And he said, "Here I am."
     He said, "Take your son, your only son³ Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you." So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him.⁴
     On the third day⁵ Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here⁶ with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you." Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.
     Isaac said to his father Abraham, "Father!"
     And he said, "Here I am, my son."⁷
     He said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
     Abraham said, "God himself will provide the lamb⁸ for a burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together.⁹
     When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son.¹⁰ But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!"
     And he said, "Here I am."¹¹
     He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God¹², since you have not withheld your son, your only son¹³, from me."
     And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place "The LORD will provide¹⁴"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided."
     The angel of the LORD¹⁵ called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, "By myself I have sworn, says the LORD: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore.¹⁶ And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves¹⁷, because you have obeyed my voice." So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham lived at Beer-sheba.

^[1] God is explicitly testing him. Is this test for God's benefit, or for Abraham's, or for the people of Israel? From the passage, it really looks like a legit test of Abraham.
^[2] Very personal.
^[3] Personal again, and again. This feels like by far the most intimate passage to this point in Genesis.
^[4] Abraham obeys.
^[5] Plenty of time to think about it.
^[6] Abraham feels he has to do it alone.
^[7] The Issac-Abraham dialogue mimics the God-Abraham dialogue, bringing home the intimacy of the scene while also humanizing the relationship between God and Abraham even more.
^[8] What does he mean by this? Is he just trying to answer Issac without telling him the full truth, or is he expressing his own trust in God?
^[9] Personalizes it again by showing them doing it together.
^[10] How important is it that Abraham is willing to do a human sacrifice, something most of us would consider abhorrent? It doesn't feel important in the passage. The fact that Abraham is willing to obey God, even to the loss of his son, is the focus. We already know that it is only a test, that God is not really calling for a human sacrifice, so I believe that aspect of the passage can be overemphasized. The point is that Abraham is obedient up to the very act of losing his most-beloved son.
^[11] Third repetition of this personal exchange.
^[12] The object of the act as a test of Abraham's faith is made explicit. After all those instances in which Abraham has shown a lack of faith (15:2, 16:3, 17:17, 20:2), Abraham shows that his faith in God is now complete.
^[13] Again adds the "your only son" emphasis.
^[14] As Abraham had predicted, though perhaps unknowingly.
^[15] The fact that it's been the "angel of the Lord" calling, rather than God himself, is interesting. My study Bible says that this is a characteristic of the "Elohist"-authored passages.
^[16] The test is rewarded. Does this mean that the promises were still contingent on Abraham's faith? Or is this an indication that God knew how Abraham would respond all along because he is outside time, even though the test still had to happen within time?
^[17] All of the nations will gain blessing through Abraham.


Take-home: In an extremely personalized passage, God makes the ultimate test of Abraham's faith. Abraham shows his full devotion, proving that he has overcome the doubts in God that affected him earlier. God affirms his promise again, both to Abraham's line and to the nations.

Genesis 21:22-21:34

     At that time Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do;¹ now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me² or with my offspring or with my posterity, but as I have dealt loyally with you, you will deal with me and with the land where you have resided as an alien³."
     And Abraham said, "I swear it."
     When Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized, Abimelech said, "I do not know who has done this; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today." So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them⁴ to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs of the flock. And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?"
     He said, "These seven ewe lambs you shall accept from my hand, in order that you may be a witness⁵ for me that I dug this well." Therefore that place was called Beer-sheba; because there both of them swore an oath. When they had made a covenant at Beer-sheba, Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. And Abraham resided as an alien⁶ many days in the land of the Philistines.

^[1] God's presence with Abraham is visible in all he does.
^[2] This shouldn't be necessary, but this is pretty much a direct continuation of Genesis 20:18, where Abraham acted deceitfully with Abimelech.
^[3] Abimelech points out that he has treated him justly as an alien.
^[4] Bribery?
^[5] Okay, I might be missing something culturally. That really sounds like bribery. Abimelech had no knowledge, now with the sheep he is a witness? The way it is discussed makes me feel like something is missing here though.
^[6] Again his alien status is emphasized. Does that relate to the last note?


Take-home: My study bible says that this story explains the origin of Beersheba. Other than the emphasis on Abraham's alien status, I'm not sure what else to draw from it.  Abraham's previous covering of the truth continues to affect others' view of him.  Abraham appears to be engaging in something I would interpret as bribery, but some aspect of the cultural practice may be unintelligible to me.

Genesis 21:8-21:21

     The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. So she said to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son¹; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac."
     The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son². But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring."³
     So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away.⁴ And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes.⁵ Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, "Do not let me look on the death of the child." And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept.
     And God heard the voice of the boy⁶; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, "What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.⁷ Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him." Then God opened her eyes⁸ and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.
     God was with the boy⁹, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

^[1] This is considered to be the "Eloist" account of the casting out of Hagar, with the account in chapter 16 being the "Yahwist" account. Once again, Sarah appears to be acting mean-spiritedly against Hagar.
^[2] Abraham loves Ishmael.
^[3] God continues to care for Hagar and Ishmael while maintaining marital harmony between Sarah and Abraham. But should there be more? Shouldn't Sarah learn that what she is telling Abraham to do isn't right?
^[4] Once again, Abraham obeys.
^[5] Sounds heartless, but the options were...?
^[6] God hears the voice of the boy, even though Hagar was weeping too and she is the he addresses. God hears the cry of the weakest and most vulnerable.
^[7] God comforts Hagar.
^[8] God saves Hagar and Ishmael.
^[9] How powerful - not the promised son, but God stays with him.


Take-home:  Once again the multiple-wife model is indirectly critiqued as Sarah shows animosity towards Hagar and her son.  Abraham has compassion, but trusts God.  God hears the cry of the weak and saves Ishmael and Hagar, staying with Ishmael, the son of the slave woman, through his life.

Genesis 21:1-21:7

     The LORD dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as he had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken¹ to him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him². Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Now Sarah said, "God has brought laughter³ for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me." And she said, "Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son⁴ in his old age."

^[1] The third time already in this passage where God is said to have fulfilled his promise.
^[2] And Abraham likewise fulfills his promises.
^[3] What was previously a source of shame (Sarah claiming she had not laughed) is now a source of joy.
^[4] At the deepest core, it's not about promises of land, greatness, many descendants, nations, blessings, etc. What it's really about is a son. That matters more to them than anything else.


Take-home: God fulfills his promises to Abraham and Sarah, and Abraham and Sarah in turn keep their promises to God. Much uncertainty and reassurance have finally culminated in the promised son, and in him they have great joy.

Genesis 20:1-20:18

     From there Abraham journeyed toward the region of the Negeb, and settled between Kadesh and Shur¹. While residing in Gerar as an alien, Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She is my sister."²  And King Abimelech of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
     But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, "You are about to die because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a married woman."³
     Now Abimelech had not approached her; so he said, "Lord, will you destroy an innocent people?⁴  Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' I did this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands."
     Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart; furthermore it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.⁵  Now then, return the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all that are yours."
     So Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants and told them all these things; and the men were very much afraid.⁶  Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such great guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that ought not to be done."  And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What were you thinking of, that you did this thing?"⁷
     Abraham said, "I did it because I thought, There is no fear of God at all in this place,⁸ and they will kill me because of my wife.  Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father⁹ but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.  And when God caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, 'This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, He is my brother.'"
     Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him.¹⁰  Abimelech said, "My land is before you; settle where it pleases you."  To Sarah he said, "Look, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; it is your exoneration before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated."¹¹
     Then Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children.  For the LORD had closed fast all the wombs¹² of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

^[1] Why exactly did he move here?
^[2] My first reaction was "Again!" But my Study Bible says that this is considered to be an "Elohist" account, while the first "Abraham calls Sarah his sister and she gets taken in by a foreign king" story was a "Yahwist" account. From what I have understood, the distinctions between this author and the others are more hotly debated than the clearer Yahwist/Priestly author distinctions. Still, the ways in which this story mirrors Genesis 12 (and a little of Genesis 26), while adding in new explanations, circumstances, and language, still really fits the multiple-author model.
^[3] Strange that Abimelech would be punished for something he did unknowingly.
^[4] Abimelech recognizes God's power and appeals to God's justice.
^[5] God directly affirms Abimelech's integrity, and also protects Sarah.
^[6] They believe God.
^[7] Abimelech still sees Abraham's actions as wrong.
^[8] It feels like Abraham is making an unjustified assumption, as well as not trusting God's promise to him.
^[9] To me, that feels like a weaselly excuse that hides Abraham's clear intent to deceive. But the author appears to consider it a valid explanation. I wonder if that's a cultural difference in how "deception" is perceived, or if Hebrews of that period would also have debated this.
^[10] Out of respect for Abraham or out of fear of God?
^[11] So in his action, he is saying that Sarah was not at fault for what happened?
^[12] Wow - towards what ends? Is this a demonstration of the power of God, the prophetic/chosen nature of Abraham, or a condemnation of unintentional sin?


Take-home: As in many other cases, God protects Abraham even when he makes questionable decisions. In God's dealing with Abimelech, it is clear that even unintentional "sins" can have drastic consequences, but God is just and gives the king acting in integrity a chance to right the wrong before bearing the full punishment. Though this king and people are not of Abraham, they recognize God's power and justice.

Genesis 19:30-19:38

     Now Lot went up out of Zoar and settled in the hills¹ with his two daughters, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar; so he lived in a cave with his two daughters. And the firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the world. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father²." So they made their father drink wine³ that night; and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she rose.
     On the next day, the firstborn said to the younger, "Look, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father." So they made their father drink wine that night also; and the younger rose, and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she rose. Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab; he is the ancestor of the Moabites⁴ to this day⁵. The younger also bore a son and named him Ben-ammi; he is the ancestor of the Ammonites to this day.

^[1] He begged the angel to let him to go Zoar, then flees to the hills anyway?
^[2] Where does such a thought come from? Are they morally corrupt, or just so desperate to have children that they even consider extreme measures?
^[3] The second time a patriarch has been subject to a sinful act via drunkenness.
^[4] Israel's neighbors get a mixed mention here. Their origin from Lot makes them a close cousin to Israel, but they are given a very shameful past.
^[5] "To this day" emphasizes the connection between this action and the current peoples.


Take-home: Lot continues to be indecisive and fearful. Alcohol can be used to get people to do sinful things. It must be considered that the purpose of this story is to give a negative explanation for the origins of the Moabites and Ammonites.

Genesis 19:1-19:29

     The two angels¹ came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and bowed down with his face to the ground. He said, "Please, my lords, turn aside to your servant's house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you can rise early and go on your way.²"
     They said, "No; we will spend the night in the square."
     But he urged them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man³, surrounded the house; and they called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, so that we may know them."
     Lot went out of the door to the men, shut the door after him, and said, "I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Look, I have two daughters who have not known a man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please; only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.⁴"
     But they replied, "Stand back!" And they said, "This fellow came here as an alien, and he would play the judge!⁵ Now we will deal worse with you than with them."
     Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near the door to break it down. But the men inside reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. And they struck with blindness⁶ the men who were at the door of the house, both small and great, so that they were unable to find the door.
     Then the men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city--bring them out of the place. For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry⁷ against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it."
     So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, "Up, get out of this place; for the LORD is about to destroy the city." But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting⁸.
     When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Get up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or else you will be consumed in the punishment of the city." But he lingered; so the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand⁹, the LORD being merciful¹⁰ to him, and they brought him out and left him outside the city. When they had brought them outside, they said, "Flee for your life; do not look back or stop anywhere in the Plain; flee to the hills, or else you will be consumed."
     And Lot said to them, "Oh, no, my lords; your servant has found favor with you, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life; but I cannot flee to the hills, for fear the disaster will overtake me and I die. Look, that city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there--is it not a little one?--and my life will be saved!"
     He said to him, "Very well, I grant you this favor too¹¹, and will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there, for I can do nothing until you arrive there." Therefore the city was called Zoar. The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.
     Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur¹² and fire from the LORD out of heaven; and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt¹³.
     Abraham¹⁴ went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD; and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the Plain and saw the smoke of the land going up like the smoke of a furnace. So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had settled.

^[1] Ah, two angels - that makes it pretty clear that the Lord was the other one.
^[2] Like Abraham, Lot practices radical hospitality.
^[3] To the last man! This emphasizes the city's wickedness - outside of Lot's household, there isn't even one righteous for God to spare the city.
^[4] Daughters rather than guests. I had always seen this passage as emphasizing his hospitality to the guests, while still being very disturbing. Only now am I seeing a second pattern - the low status of women. In the story, it is better for Lot to just give away his young daughters to these men than have anything happen to his male guests.
^[5] Clearly evil. In addition to the obvious evil characteristics of this statement, they are disrespecting the alien in their midst, a vulnerable person God would want protected. This shows how little they care for the oppressed, a major reason they are being destroyed.
^[6] Supernatural and natural means are mixed to save Lot. While the men are struck with blindness, Lot is pulled back with a simple hand, and though God's messengers warn him of destruction, he has to use his own feet to leave.
^[7] Who is making the outcry? It appears that the whole city is evil - is it people outside the city whom they are oppressing? Or is the outcry from within?
^[8] This is probably a message to those of us who fail to take God's warnings seriously, as well as a set-up for the lack of husbands for Lot's daughters.
^[9] Lot continues to get extra chances even when he doesn't listen.
^[10] Merciful indeed!
^[11] Merciful again, though Lot seems to have little faith.
^[12] The Study Bible notes suggest that "asphalt" may be a better translation than "sulpher". This area, just south of the Dead Sea, is a desolate landscape with asphalt deposits and salt pillars. The oasis town of Zoar was the only existing city when this was written.
^[13] And the mercy ends. The punishment seems very severe. I can't think of an interpretation beyond the traditional one of warning against looking back to our sinful pasts. Possibly also emphasizing the need for obedience?
^[14] The chosen Abraham is brought back into the story, who begged for the righteous of Sodom and Gomorrah but sees it destroyed, lacking even a tiny righteous remnant to save them.


Take-home: Like Abraham, Lot practices radical hospitality, though the lack of respect for women compared to guests is disturbing. The city's occupants are clearly evil, disrespecting both guests and aliens and not having one righteous among them. God gives Lot many chances, but his words have to be listened to, and those who fail to obey risk destruction.

Genesis 18:16-18:33

     Then the men set out from there, and they looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to set them on their way. The LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?¹ No, for I have chosen him², that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice³; so that the LORD may bring about for Abraham what he has promised him." Then the LORD said, "How great is the outcry⁴ against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see⁵ whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know."
     So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD⁶. Then Abraham came near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it?⁷ Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just⁸?"
     And the LORD said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake."
     Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes⁹. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?"
     And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there."
     Again he spoke to him, "Suppose forty are found there."
     He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it."
     Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there."
     He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there."
     He said, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there."
     He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it."
     Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there."
     He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it¹⁰." And the LORD went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

^[1] The promise of Abraham's blessing to the nations is again emphasized. The way it is used here, I am dubious that the alternative "shall bless themselves" interpretation is accurate.
^[2] Since God has chosen Abraham for so much, he will begin to reveal some of his ways to Abraham.
^[3] Righteousness and justice is the way of the Lord.
^[4] Whose "outcry"? The poor and oppressed. Though not explicitly stated here, it is used clearly in that way elsewhere in Exodus 3:7 and Isaiah 5:7, and Ezekiel 16:49 makes it clear that the plight of the poor and needy is what did in Sodom and Gomorrah.
^[5] Quite anthropomorphic.
^[6] So the men are distinct from the Lord?
^[7] Abraham is merciful and cares for the people. Perhaps he is only concerned with his cousin Lot, but the concern here appears more general.
^[8] Appeals to God's nature, affirming that God is just.
^[9] Approaches God with humility, but the very fact that he is approaching and confronting God shows great boldness.
^[10] This appears to be a long negotiation, but it's not clear that God was ever negotiating - he may have just been answering Abraham's questions about his intentions. At no point does God say that he would destroy the righteous. In stating that he would not destroy even 10 righteous people, God confirms that he is just and compassionate.


Take-home: God chooses to open up his intentions to Abraham, that Abraham may learn the ways of righteousness and justice. In his questions Abraham not only finds that God is compassionate, but shows that he has compassion for the people as well. God listens to the outcry of the poor and needy and spares the righteous from destruction. However, the entire passage is overshadowed by the surrounding events - it is clear that God is ready to destroy the unrighteous, and it is not yet clear that even ten righteous exist in the city.

Genesis 18:1-18:15

     The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre¹, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men² standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on--since you have come to your servant³."
     So they said, "Do as you have said."
     And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes." Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.⁴
     They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?"
     And he said, "There, in the tent."
     Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him.
     Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed⁵ to herself, saying, "After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?"
     The LORD said⁶ to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, and say, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too wonderful for the LORD⁷? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son."
     But Sarah denied, saying, "I did not laugh"; for she was afraid
     He said, "Oh yes, you did laugh.⁸"

^[1] The Yahwist account of Issac's birth announcement.
^[2] There's no indication that Abraham yet realizes they are anything but men.
^[3] Extraordinary hospitality.
^[4] Extraordinary hospitality continues.
^[5] In this version, Sarah laughs.
^[6] Suddenly it is clear that YHWH is speaking. Is he speaking through the men, or separately? The tradition I have heard is that one of the men represents YHWH, but a line in the next passage makes me wonder if YHWH is separate from the men themselves.
^[7] YHWH explicitly points out the needlessness of Sarah's doubt - nothing is too difficult for God. Yet he doesn't take away the promise or punish Sarah for doubting.
^[8] Hilarious ending.


Take-home: Abraham shows extraordinary hospitality to the men who visit him. Yet God's promise to Abraham does not appear dependent on such things - instead, it appears to be a demonstration of how hospitable Abraham would have been to any travelers. Once again there is doubt by those to whom the promise is given (Sarah in this case), but once again God reaffirms his promise without punishing the doubt. God can do anything, therefore, there is never reason to doubt Him.

Genesis 17:1-17:27

     When Abram was ninety-nine years old¹, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am God Almighty²; walk before me, and be blameless³. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous." Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham⁴; for I have made⁵ you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God.⁶"
     God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised⁷. You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. Throughout your generations every male among you shall be circumcised when he is eight days old, including the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring. Both the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money must be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people⁸; he has broken my covenant."
     God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her⁹, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations¹⁰; kings of peoples shall come from her."
     Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed¹¹, and said to himself, "Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?" And Abraham said to God, "O that Ishmael might live in your sight!"
     God said, "No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son¹², and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; I will bless him¹³ and make him fruitful and exceedingly numerous; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year¹⁴." And when he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.
     Then Abraham took his son Ishmael and all the slaves born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day¹⁵, as God had said to him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised; and all the men of his house, slaves born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

^[1] This account of God appearing to Abram is taken as a "priestly" account, as opposed to the Yahwist accounts before it. In this account Abram is much older when God appears to him.
^[2] "God Almighty" is how the Hebrew term "'el shadday" is translated here. In the "priestly" account God does not reveal his name YHWH until Moses, so an ancient name of God is used here. There is still major debate on what "'el shadday" actually means in translation.
^[3] Abram is told to be blameless in this account, as Enoch and Noah were in previous priestly accounts.
^[4] The first example in Genesis of God changing a name to signify a new phase of life.
^[5] Past tense! God has already made him the ancestor of many nations. Though it has not happened in Abraham's time frame, it is as good as done.
^[6] Land and fertility are once again the promises.
^[7] Circumcision - a new physical sign. The sign is only for male Hebrews.
^[8] An earthly means to enforce the covenant - it's not just a heavenly judgement.
^[9] The blessing is given to a woman as well.
^[10] Nations are mentioned for the fourth time.
^[11] Abraham expresses doubt. I'm used to Sarah being the laughing doubter.
^[12] God takes the doubt in stride and reaffirms his promise.
^[13] As in the other account, Ishmael is blessed, but this time because of Abraham's concern rather than Hagar's cry.
^[14] The first place where a specific timing is placed on the promise.
^[15] Abraham obeys immediately.


Take-home: This account of God's promise to Abram is different - Abram is older, he is told to be "blameless", names are given for him, Sarai, and their promised son, circumcision is included, Abram laughs, and Ishmael is blessed because of Abram's request, not Hagar's cry. Still, the major themes are the same - God is promising Abram land, fertility, and an influence of many nations, God keeps his promise despite Abram's doubt, and Abram is quick to worship God.

Genesis 16:1-16:16

     Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children¹. She had an Egyptian slave-girl whose name was Hagar, and Sarai said to Abram, "You see that the LORD has prevented me from bearing children²; go in to my slave-girl; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai³. So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her slave-girl, and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress⁴. Then Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you!⁵ I gave my slave-girl to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!" But Abram said to Sarai, "Your slave-girl is in your power; do to her as you please⁶." Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she ran away from her.
     The angel of the LORD found her⁷ by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, "Hagar, slave-girl of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?"
     She said, "I am running away from my mistress Sarai."
     The angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit to her⁸." The angel of the LORD also said to her, "I will so greatly multiply your offspring that they cannot be counted for multitude⁹." And the angel of the LORD said to her, "Now you have conceived and shall bear a son; you shall call him Ishmael¹⁰, for the LORD has given heed to your affliction. He shall be a wild ass of a man, with his hand against everyone, and everyone's hand against him; and he shall live at odds with all his kin¹¹."
     So she named the LORD who spoke to her, "You are El-roi"; for she said, "Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing him?" Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered. Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael¹². Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

^[1] Repeated for the third time.
^[2] Not trusting God's promise to come through.
^[3] Listens to Sarai, not God.
^[4] The second two-wife situation in the Bible, and again there are negative associations almost immediately.
^[5] Sarai's anger seems remarkably unjustified. It was her idea...has Abram somehow failed to do something that could have maintained the peace?
^[6] Rather than taking responsibility, Abram allows Sarai to drive Hagar out, which would take away the whole point of taking her as a wife in the first place.
^[7] God looks out for Hagar when Abram and Sarai don't. Remarkable to see God appearing to, speaking to, and blessing a woman - in fact, an Egyptian, non-Hebrew woman.
^[8] This sounds hard, but not only will it best serve Abram and Sarai, it will be the best thing for Hagar and her son. Once again a difficult family situation has been rectified without violence.
^[9] God blesses Hagar's offspring as well, even though Ishmael is not the intended child of the covenant.
^[10] Ishmael means "God hears".
^[11] God has listened, but what a strange promise! Like the promise of Egyptian slavery for Abram's descendants, this blessing has a difficult side.
^[12] So fascinating that Mohammed chose to consider the Muslim people the children of this Ishmael.


Take-home: Abram and Sarai still have a difficult time believing in God's promise, which leads their family into a situation of strife. This pattern of strife in multi-wife families is a trend in Genesis and beyond. God comes in to honor Hagar, bring reconciliation of relationships, and solve the strife without violence. Ishmael will be blessed, but it will be a strange blessing with a hard edge.

Genesis 15:1-15:21

     After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.¹"
     But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.²"
     But the word of the LORD came to him, "This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.³" He brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be."⁴ And he believed the LORD⁵; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.
     Then [the LORD] said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess."
     But he said, "O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?"⁶
     He said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
     He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him⁷. Then the LORD said to Abram, "Know this for certain, that your offspring shall be aliens in a land that is not theirs, and shall be slaves there, and they shall be oppressed for four hundred years⁸; but I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for yourself, you shall go to your ancestors in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation; for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.⁹"
     When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram¹⁰, saying, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."

^[1] I think God is affirming Abram's sacrifice at the end of the last passage, and assuring him that he will indeed be taken care of.
^[2] The first record of Abram doubting God's promise directly, though parts of the 2nd half of chapter 12 could be interpreted as indirect evidence of doubt.
^[3] An heir is so important! Once again speaks to the significance of the fertility blessings.
^[4] God reiterates his promises yet again.
^[5] Once again Abram trusts.
^[6] There are still aspects that Abram doubts.
^[7] Even the friendly, personal, loving God can be terrifying.
^[8] For the first time God adds a negative prophecy to the promise.
^[9] "Iniquity is not yet complete" - the idea, at least as I read it, that God gives them chances before judging them, even when he knows that their sin will eventually require it.
^[10] God makes the covenant again, with more specificity.


Take-home:  Even Abram, who would be known as a great hero of the faith and who spoke personally with God, can often doubt.  But God is patient to answer those doubts repeatedly.  And Abram shall indeed have great land and descendants one day.

Genesis 14:1-14:24

     In the days of King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim, these kings made war with King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).¹ All these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea). Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and subdued the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, and the Horites in the hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the edge of the wilderness; then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and subdued all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar. Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim with King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Shinar, and King Arioch of Ellasar, four kings against five. Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits; and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. So the enemy took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way; they also took Lot², the son of Abram's brother, who lived in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
     Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner; these were allies of Abram. When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred eighteen of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and routed them and pursued them to Hobah³, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his nephew Lot with his goods, and the women and the people.
     After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). And King Melchizedek of Salem⁴ brought out bread and wine⁵; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High⁶, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!" And Abram gave him one tenth of everything⁷.
     Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself."
     But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have sworn to the LORD, God Most High⁸, maker of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal-thong or anything that is yours, so that you might not say, 'I have made Abram rich.⁹' I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me--Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share¹⁰."

^[1] Study Bible says that this passage is distinct from the rest of Genesis - the multi-king conflict, title of "the Hebrew" for Abram, and distinct literary style imply that it might have been done by a separate author from everything else.
^[2] The first connection to Abram's story.
^[3] Abram continues to be protective of his family. This is the first description of Abram as a man of war, and he wins.
^[4] First mention of this king in the story. Salem probably refers to Jerusalem.
^[5] Bread and wine! Communion predecessor?
^[6] "God Most High!" A unique title. Melchizedek blesses both Abram and God, credits God with Abram's victory, and appears to be familiar with Abram's God as "The God", unlike other instances where foreign kings give God credit as if he were a regional deity.
^[7] Was Abram already familiar with Melchizedek and intending to give him this offering, or was it prompted in the moment by Melchizedek's acts and words of devotion to God?
^[8] Abram uses same title for God, which had not appeared before in Genesis.
^[9] Abram recognizes that profiting from others can create unholy entanglements.
^[10] Abram holds to his promise to God, but doesn't force others to keep the same standards as himself.


Take-home: Abram protects his family, and uses war as a means to do it. A fascinating character is introduced - Melchizedek, a priest-king of "God Most High" who recognizes Abram's victory as being brought about by God. This account connects Abram to Jerusalem for the first time, and also brings a foreign official who recognizes not just a local deity, but the God who rules over all. Abram gives him tribute, but personally chooses not to profit from the other king who he does not want to be entangled with.