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.
No comments:
Post a Comment