CHAPTER 12
So far Genesis has moved at a rapid pace. In 11 chapters we get the creation, Eden,
Adam & Even, Cain and Abel, Noah, Babel, plenty of begottings, and reasons
for why there is a rainbow, why farming is tough, why women have to endure
childbirth and listen to husbands, why slavery is right – all this in just 11
chapters, plus time for plenty of begotting.
The early and frankly purely mythic stuff happens here.
Now we start spending time with a particular person, Abraham
(Abram in the early going). The first
of the patriarchs and possibly the first real historical individual. One theory is that the Hebrew developed in
Canaan as a combination of two groups – one group that had escaped from/left
Egypt and another that traced their lineage back to some older patriarchs.
Anyhow, things get off to a big start. God tells him: “Go forth from your land,
your relatives, and from your father’s house to a land that I will show
you. I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a
blessing.” It’s a deal!
There’s no reason given for why Abram is chosen to be a
great nation. I guess he’s just
deserving. Anyhow he sets off with wife
Sarai, and (despite the Lord saying go from your relatives) nephew Lot. So he goes to Canaan.
And then he goes to Egypt, due to famine. This is a weird story. Sarai is so pretty that Abram fears he’ll be
killed if they admit she’s his wife, so instead they claim to be siblings, and
she’s welcomed into the Pharaoh’s house and Abrahm is set up well himself. Now, there are a couple questions this
brings up. First, is she being set up
as some sort of consort/harem-mate for the Pharaoh? It sure looks like it.
Otherwise, why let her into his house – and they let her in specifically
because she was so pretty. Second,
what’s Abram’s Plan B here? OK, he
wasn’t killed to get to Sarai, but ….how does he handle this? Third, she’s 65 years old. The hell?
Really, the ages of Abram and Sarai tend to veer as needed for the plot. The guy telling the stories of them isn’t
the same guy who told us how old they are.
At any rate, the LORD punishes the Pharaoh, though it
doesn’t seem like Pharaoh has really done anything. So Sarai and Abram are killed out.
CHAPTER 13
Abram and Lot both have so many animals to tend to, that
they can’t stay together. So Abram
let’s Lot pick what land he wants, and Abram says he’ll go a different
direction. Then he lets God pick a
direction for him. Lot goes toward
Sodom. This turns out to be a bad move.
God tells Abram that he’ll give the land he’s on for him and
his descendents. 13:15: “All the land
that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever.” This is the first Biblical verse that
religious nationalists in Israel use in modern day politics. Negotiate with the Palestinians? Check the end of Chapter 13 of Genesis! Abram builds his first altar to the Lord in
Hebron.
CHAPTER 14
This is a weird chapter.
It is Abram as warrior. A war of
four kings versus five kings happens, and it’s rather confusing, but Lot gets
captured by the winning side. So Abram
gathers his forces and defeats them and frees Lot. Uh, OK. I guess we’re
supposed to see that Abram is a powerful man.
And apparently a rich and prosperous one, as we’re told he musters 318
retainers.
Really, this seems like an odd fit in with the rest. Nowhere else is Abram a warrior. The Hebrew started out with a sense that
they descended from a series of patriarchs, with Abram being the first and most
important of them. They told stories of
him, and more than a few generations went by until they were written down. So you get a bit of a grab bag of stories
that become Abram.
CHAPTER 15
Time for the covenant.
Well, I supposed that happened back in Chapter 12, but I guess that was
more an offer, now time for an official covenant. Abram is concerned that he has no heir, but LORD God says don’t
sweat it – you’ll get some and be a great nation. Abram puts his faith in the LORD.
Last chapter, Abram had 318 retainers, but this chapters he
has “only a servant of my household, Eliezer of Damascus.” Maybe retainers don’t count or something.
At any rate, much of this chapter is just foreshadowing and
linking together Abram to the guys who came out of Egypt. God tells Abram about what’ll happen –Egypt,
slavery – but don’t worry. It’ll all
work out. Here’s the land they’ll be given: “To your descendents I give this
land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.” All the way to the Euphrates! That’s a ton.
CHAPTER 16
Abram finally has a kid!
But it’s worth his servant.
Sarai offers up her servant, Hagar, because Sarai hasn’t given Abram any
kids. The notes on bottom say this was
a common cultural trait in that era.
Hagar does becomes pregnant, and starts acting high and
mighty to Sarai. Big mistake. She learns the hard way you really has the
power to big time someone. Hagar might
be pregnant, but Sarai is still the wife and she treats Hagar poorly. So Hagar runs away and an angel comes to her
and tells her to return. Note: I do
believe this is our first angel. Hagar
is told that her son Ishmael will 16:12: “be a wild ass of a man, his hand
against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him.” I believe he’s supposed to be the father of Arabs.
CHAPTER 17
Once again it’s time for a covenant, but this one is more
than words. Abram gets snipped. At age 99, he experiences circumcision. And he’ll be Abraham, not just Abram. The notes say both mean “the father is
exalted” but the extra letters help make reference to a phrase for father of
many nations.
Actually, one of my favorite moments in the Bible so far
comes right here. God makes massive
promises to Abraham, as he will make him exceedingly fertile. His descendents will be numerous. They’ll have all of Canaan. I will bless you. I will bless your wife (now Sarah instead of Sarai). She will give rise to great nations. This is an extended series of claims – all
of which Abraham heard back in his Abram days, but now said once again.
So what does Abraham do?
How does he respond to these grand statements from the lord? 17:17-18 “Abraham fell face down and laughed
as he said to himself `Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years
old? Can Sarah give birth at
ninety?’ So Abraham said to God, `If
only Ishmael could live in your favor!’”
I love that – Abraham falls down laughing his darn fool head
off. Not many guys get yucks from
talking to God, but Abraham sure does. There is something wonderfully human
about this scene. God, to his credit,
takes it in stride and tells Abraham, essentially, no really, you’ll get your
great nation. Now go cut off your
foreskin. And Abraham does, because
laughter or no laughter, he has faith in God. He gets circumcised, as does
Ishmael, and all males in the household, and all slaves as well. Everyone in the household is covered by the
head of the household.
Time framing it (based on me doing math with paper and pen):
1948 Abram born
2006 Noah dies
2023 Abram gets the call
2034 Ishmael is born
2047 Abram gets circumcised Click here for the next seven chapters on Abraham.
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