Okay wow, so first of all, it has been a while since I wrote anything here. Our first child was born in July and since then I've been some combination of busy, tired, and unmotivated - hence the gap in publications. But here we are, picking up where we left off with the good ol' bible blog. And where we left off was Genesis 23, in which the story of Abraham and Sarah begins to wrap up and our focus starts to shift to the next generation of patriarchs.
So Abraham's servant leaves for Aram Naharaim, the home city of Abraham's brother Nahor. Upon stopping at a well at the outskirts of the city he asks for a sign from Yahweh to help him identify Isaac's new bride (24:10-14). Before he even finishes uttering his request, Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, appears at the well and immediately fulfills the sign (24:15-21). The servant then produces a gold nose-ring and two gold bracelets for Rebekah (are these courtship/betrothal symbols or simply gifts?) to wear and asks of her heritage (24:22-27). The chapter then drags on for a while (it's a very long chapter) as the servant meets with Rebekah's family to convince them to let him take her as a wife for Isaac, including a complete retelling of basically every event of the chapter up to that point.
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Oh man if felt so good to write again. I hope the next break between posts isn't nearly as long. Next time we'll get yet another story of pretending your wife is your sister (seriously?) and learn a little more about Jacob and Esau. Thanks for reading, and see you next time.
Negotiations for a Burial
Chapter 23 opens with Sarah's death in Hebron, Canaan, at the ripe old age of 127 years. Abraham, as a stranger in a foreign land, goes to the locals in hopes they will aid him in providing a final resting place for his late wife. What ensues is a back and forth fight for the dinner check, alternating between the locals offering a tomb to Abraham for free out of respect for his piety (23:7), and Abraham insisting on paying them for the site. It seems that this is meant to illustrate that Abraham, as the ancestor of Israel, is not indebted to the local Canaanites. This is important in light of the conquest tradition in which the invading Israelites wage genocidal war on the natives of Canaan. It wouldn't play well if Abraham's descendants eradicated the people who gifted him a burial place for Sarah. Abraham eventually gets his way, paying full price for the plot of land, including the cave which would become the tomb of the patriarchs and matriarchs (23:17-20).Marrying Within the Family
In chapter 24 Abraham's attention turns to that of his son Isaac's need of a wife. But not any old wife will do, especially not a local woman (future conquest and all that, can't have anything to do with the Canaanites, of course) so Abraham sends his servant back to Abraham's ancestral home in Haran to seek a wife for Isaac among his kindred. When Abraham sends his servant off, he makes him swear to him through an intimate ceremony in which the servant grasps Abraham under his thigh (24:2-3). It isn't clear if this is meant to imply that the servant grasps Abraham's reproductive organ (mentioned as a possibility in the notes of the Harper Collins Study Bible) or simply the thigh in proximity to his penis, but either way it is intimate. The weird thing about Abraham's demands (weirder than the thigh thing - I mean, ancient cultures can be really alien and all) is that he stipulates that the servant not take Isaac with him. He is very explicit, actually repeating himself on this point (24:6-8). I figure there must be a reason for this, but the text itself gives no reason, and I'm not going to go out of my way to research every bizarre plot point I come across. At least on its surface this one doesn't appear very interesting.
So Abraham's servant leaves for Aram Naharaim, the home city of Abraham's brother Nahor. Upon stopping at a well at the outskirts of the city he asks for a sign from Yahweh to help him identify Isaac's new bride (24:10-14). Before he even finishes uttering his request, Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, appears at the well and immediately fulfills the sign (24:15-21). The servant then produces a gold nose-ring and two gold bracelets for Rebekah (are these courtship/betrothal symbols or simply gifts?) to wear and asks of her heritage (24:22-27). The chapter then drags on for a while (it's a very long chapter) as the servant meets with Rebekah's family to convince them to let him take her as a wife for Isaac, including a complete retelling of basically every event of the chapter up to that point.
Eliezer and Rebekah at the Well by Gustave Doré - 1866 CE
After the lengthy recounting of the story up to this point, Rebekah's family is satisfied as they consider the events a sign from Yahweh (24:50-51). The servant then lavishes extravagant gifts on the family and the whole lot of them celebrate. Eventually Rebekah and the servant arrive back in Canaan and who should they meet wandering in the fields, but Isaac...
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 herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 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.
- Genesis 24:64-67
And that basically constitutes a marriage ceremony in the ancient near east - intercourse seals the deal. (And yes, they're cousins.)
More Muddled Messes Mended by the Redactor(s)
According to Friedman, the E source interrupts J to open chapter 25 with a list of descendants of Abraham by his second wife, Keturah (25:1-4). Remember, in E Isaac might never have survived the sacrifice episode, so these descendants might have been very important in the original Elohist narrative. But we don't have an original Elohist narrative, we have the final compilation, redactions and all. And the redactor needs Isaac to be a very-much-not-dead patriarch. The redactor immediately dismisses Keturah as a concubine and hand-waves away her children in the following verses, perhaps protesting too much while reinforcing the legitimacy of Isaac (25:5-6).
The next portion of chapter 25 consists mostly of family history and descendant lists courtesy of the priestly source, including the death of Abraham (25:7-20). This is mostly boring (honestly, the priestly source as a whole is mostly boring) except for the small detail that Abraham is buried by his sons Isaac and Ishmael both (25:9). Ishmael was never sent away from Abraham's family in the P source - only in J (chapter 16) and E (chapter 21). Here in P Ishmael is a faithful son and part of the family.
Esau & Jacob
Beginning with verse 21 we return to the Yahwist and the story of Isaac and Rebekah. Repeating what is becoming a common trope in the mixed-up grab bag of patriarchal theme and narrative, Rebekah is, of course, barren. But no sooner is this predicament introduced than it is resolved with a quick prayer to Yahweh (25:21). But Yahweh gives Isaac and Rebekah a bit more than they asked for, as it is evidently a difficult pregnancy...
And the children struggled within her; and she said, "If it is to be this way, why do I live?" So she went to inquire of Yahweh, and Yahweh said to her,
"Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples born of you shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the elder shall serve the younger."
- Genesis 25:22-23
The motif of the younger ruling over the elder is a recurrent theme through which the biblical authors subvert expectations. It also serves as a historical explanation for why the younger nation of Israel (Jacob's descendants) would be favored and come to rule over Edom (Esau's descendants). When the twins are born, Jacob is found gripping Esau's heel, hinting at his ambition to overtake his elder brother (25:26). Esau would grow up to be a skilled hunter, and a bit of a wild man, beloved by their father Isaac. But Jacob, a sly and crafty trickster, would be the favorite of their mother Rebekah (25:28).
This trickster aspect of Jacob's character becomes evident immediately, as their first fraternal fracas sees Jacob buy Esau's birthright for a bowl of stew. Esau, fearing that he might literally starve to death (pretty sure it's meant to be the histrionic drama queen type of starving, not actually literally starving) sells his birthright so as not to literally, I mean it guys, literally starve to death (25:29-34). When Esau tries to laugh off the ludicrous price, Jacob, ever the quick wit, demands that Esau "swear to me" to officially concede his birthright. You might think Jacob might just, y'know, give his brother a bowl of stew if he was hungry, but that's not really Jacob's game. Jacob is ambitious. And sneaky. Very very sneaky.
Psalm 19
This psalm is primarily one of praise, marveling at nature and reveling in the beauty of Yahweh's handiwork. The first 6 verses in particular are quite moving poetry:
The heavens are telling the glory of God;I like that. The rest of the psalm is the usual "Yahweh's law is great, his decrees are great, please forgive me, etc." But I really like the beginning. Spend enough time outside or pondering the universe and I think we all get that feeling, at least in some way.
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours forth speech;
and night to night declares knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them;
and nothing is hid from its heat.
- Psalm 19:1-6
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Oh man if felt so good to write again. I hope the next break between posts isn't nearly as long. Next time we'll get yet another story of pretending your wife is your sister (seriously?) and learn a little more about Jacob and Esau. Thanks for reading, and see you next time.
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