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BS625 Pentateuch

BS625 Pentateuch. Session 4: The Isaac Cycle Genesis 20-25. Review: The Abraham Cycle. While in Egypt (chap. 12) Abram lies about Sarai being his sister and she is taken into Pharaoh’s harem Abraham already has a child through Hagar (Ishmael); not the child of promise (chap. 16)

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BS625 Pentateuch

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  1. BS625Pentateuch Session 4: The Isaac Cycle Genesis 20-25

  2. Review: The Abraham Cycle • While in Egypt (chap. 12) Abram lies about Sarai being his sister and she is taken into Pharaoh’s harem • Abraham already has a child through Hagar (Ishmael); not the child of promise (chap. 16) • The covenant sign of circumcision has already been instituted (chap. 17) • A specific child has been promised, though Sarah doubts with ‘laughter’ (chap. 18)

  3. Review: The Abraham Cycle YHWH says to Abram: (Gen. 12, 15, 17) • I will show you (i.e., give you) a LAND • I will BLESS you and make you great. • I will bless all the families of the earth through you (i.e., you will have many DESCENDANTS)

  4. The Isaac Cycle Genesis 20: 1 From there Abraham journeyed towards the region of the Negeb, and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While residing in Gerar as an alien, 2Abraham said of his wife Sarah, ‘She is my sister.’ And King Abimelech of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 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

  5. The Isaac Cycle married woman.’ 4 Now Abimelech had not approached her; so he said, ‘Lord, will you destroy an innocent people? 5 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.’ 6 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.

  6. The Isaac Cycle Therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 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.’

  7. The Isaac Cycle 8 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. 9 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.’ 10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, ‘What were you thinking of, that you did this

  8. The Isaac Cycle thing?’ 11 Abraham said, ‘I did it because I thought, There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. 12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13And 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

  9. The Isaac Cycle brother.” ’ 14 Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him. 15 Abimelech said, ‘My land is before you; settle where it pleases you.’ 16 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.’ 17 Then Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech,

  10. The Isaac Cycle and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. 18 For the Lord had closed fast all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

  11. The Isaac Cycle Genesis 20: Sarah’s “trouble” raises concerns about YHWH’s promises to Abraham in two ways: (1) Sarah is supposed to be the mother of Israel (see chap. 17), she cannot be the mother of pagan offspring (2) Unlike chap. 12 (Egypt), this time Sarah’s trouble occurs in the Promised Land It appears as though two of YHWH’s three promises are jeopardized here.

  12. The Isaac Cycle Genesis 21: 1 The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. 2 Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Now Sarah said, ‘God has brought laughter for me;

  13. The Isaac Cycle everyone who hears will laugh with me.’ 7 And she said, ‘Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.’

  14. The Isaac Cycle YHWH is faithful to his promises (vv. 1-2)

  15. The Isaac Cycle YHWH is faithful to his promises (vv. 1-2) Abraham is faithful in obedience (vv. 3-4)

  16. The Isaac Cycle YHWH is faithful to his promises (vv. 1-2) (Divine promise is fulfilled) Abraham is faithful in obedience (vv. 3-4) (Covenant faithfulness is maintained)

  17. The Isaac Cycle New Cycle: Barrenness – Promise – Childbirth Isaac is the first “child of promise” in a line that will become YHWH’s chosen people Miraculous birth (according to promise) • Hebrew (Gen 22:6) “your only son” • LXX (Gen 22:6): “your beloved son” • Monogenes son (Hebrews 11:17)

  18. The Isaac Cycle Genesis 22: The Binding of Isaac (Aqedat Yitshaq) 1 After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ 2 He said, ‘Take your son, your only son 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.’ 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young

  19. The Isaac Cycle 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 day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’ 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and

  20. The Isaac Cycle he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ 8 Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb 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

  21. The Isaac Cycle laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ 13 And

  22. The Isaac Cycle 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. 14 So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’ 15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not

  23. The Isaac Cycle withheld your son, your only son, 17 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. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18 and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.’ 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham lived at Beer-sheba.

  24. The Isaac Cycle Interpreting the Aqedah: • Symbolic / Typological interpretation • Rabbinic midrashic interpretation • Narrative context and ANE background • Human sacrifice in surrounding religions/cultures • “Now I know. . . .” • Replacement / Atonement (escape from death—but different from Noah’s escape) • “God tested Abraham. . . .”

  25. The Isaac Cycle Genesis 24: 1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his house, who had charge of all that he had, ‘Put your hand under my thigh 3 and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, 4 but will go to

  26. The Isaac Cycle my country and to my kindred and get a wife for my son Isaac.’ 5 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?’ 6 Abraham said to him, ‘See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 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

  27. The Isaac Cycle will give this land”, he will send his angel before you; you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 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.’ 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.

  28. The Isaac Cycle 10 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. 11 He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water; it was towards evening, the time when women go out to draw water. 12 And he said, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13 I am

  29. The Isaac Cycle standing here by the spring of water, and the daughters of the towns-people are coming out to draw water. 14 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.’ 15 Before he had finished speaking, there was Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor,

  30. The Isaac Cycle Abraham’s brother, coming out with her water-jar on her shoulder. 16 The girl was very fair to look upon, a virgin whom no man had known. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, ‘Please let me sip a little water from your jar.’ 18 ‘Drink, my lord,’ she said, and quickly lowered her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, ‘I will draw for your

  31. The Isaac Cycle camels also, until they have finished drinking.’ 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful. 22 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, 23 and said, ‘Tell me whose daughter

  32. The Isaac Cycle you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?’ 24 She said to him, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.’ 25 She added, ‘We have plenty of straw and fodder and a place to spend the night.’ 26 The man bowed his head and worshipped the Lord 27 and said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness towards my master. As for me, the

  33. The Isaac Cycle Lord has led me on the way to the house of my master’s kin.’

  34. The Isaac Cycle Elements of Rebekah’s Characterization: • Beautiful (v. 16a) • Virgin (v. 16b) • Hospitable / Service-oriented (v. 20) • Directly related to Abraham’s family (vv. 23-24)

  35. The Isaac Cycle 57 They said, ‘We will call the girl, and ask her.’ 58 And they called Rebekah, and said to her, ‘Will you go with this man?’ She said, ‘I will.’ 59 So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 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.’ 61 Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and

  36. The Isaac Cycle followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. 62 Now Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb. 63 Isaac went out in the evening to walk in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. 64 And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, 65 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

  37. The Isaac Cycle her veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

  38. The Isaac Cycle New Cycle: Barrenness – Promise – Childbirth Isaac is the first “child of promise” in a line that will become YHWH’s chosen people New Cycle: Taking a wife from another land Isaac is the first to take a wife from a foreign region • Meeting takes place at / near a well • Woman is directly related to patriarch’s family

  39. The Isaac Cycle Genesis 25:19-28: 19 These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. 21 Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. 22 The children struggled together

  40. The Isaac Cycle within her; and she said, ‘If it is to be this way, why do I live?’ So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger.’ 24 When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. 26 Afterwards his brother

  41. The Isaac Cycle came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. 27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

  42. The Isaac Cycle YHWH favors the younger (Jacob) Isaac favors the older (Esau)

  43. The Isaac Cycle New Cycle: Barrenness – Promise – Childbirth Isaac is the first “child of promise” in a line that will become YHWH’s chosen people New Cycle: Taking a wife from another land Isaac is the first to take a wife from a foreign region New Cycle: The Son YHWH appoints (even if strange or unorthodox by ANE standards)

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