In brief:
Far from the simple shepherd I’ve always pictured, So-called Abram turns out to be complex — a wealthy man, a traveller, a warrior, a slaveowner. Also Lots’ uncle. And a bit quick to say his wife is his sister.
Moses gets foreshadowed. Hagar gets set up, but then she and Ishmael and their descendants are blessed.
Abraham and Sarah are given new names, and that’s not the most dramatic change in the household, as the men experience an exceptionally memorable afternoon.
A few thoughts:
The way Abram as slave owner is casually discussed unnerved me. There’s no moral layer to it. Just an accepted fact, that humans owned other humans.
On the other hand, the importance of having offspring as plentiful as sand and stars was sort of primal and joyous. Multiplying ourselves as prime directive. And there’s the redeeming notion that your reward might be paid to future generations. A positive flip on the idea of punishing people for the sins of their ancestors.
Gen 15.1: “Fear not, Abram, I am a shield to you.” Just beautiful.
If you’d like to join in… this is the place for comments and commentary on Lekh-Lekha (Gen 12.1 – 17.27) Next up:Va-Yera’ (Gen 18.1 – 22.24)
-Cecil
3 comments for “The 5 Books Meander, Week 3 (Lekh-Lekha)”
Maggie
November 3, 2020 at 12:31 pm
In this week’s portion I am going to pick up a thread I see in God speaking to Abraham and what happens when he does or does not listen (when he does or does not trust).
In 12:1-4 we see God say “Go” and Abram says cool and goes (a lot to explore there but we will leave that for another time); the interesting piece I see in this is the willingness to go as God calls and clearly what is a deep trust in the word of God – as Abram trusts God responds and provides. Then skip to Chapter 15 and it is only now, after a decade+ that God makes a covenant with Abram: the terms are “don’t be afraid” (Abram’s requirement) and ‘I will be your shield and make your descendants numerous’ (God’s requirement). And so presumably we are all good, except this where Abram’s faith is tested because he is old, his wife is old and he has no children – how can God deliver on the covenant?
In Chapter 16 there is what feels like a throw-away line again at the end of verse 2: “And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai” – this might feel like nice little piece about marital equality and trust but the story is actually about Abram and God, so as Abram is listening to Sarai and taking matters into his own hands with respect to producing an heir he is also wavering in his faith that God will deliver on God’s covenantal promise.
It is this very weakness in faith that produces the second covenant in Chapter 17 which feels like a continuation but has some interesting language to remind us that in fact this is a new covenant and a need for God to remind Abram of the importance of the power dynamic – this is not a small god that was left in Ur, this is El Shaddai – God Almighty, that is a generational God, an eternal God who can make demands that require generational attentiveness.
In this covenant we see reminder that Abram did not express the faith required as God starts by saying “I am God Almighty, walk before me and be blameless” – scholars suggest the language might sound more like “trust me, do what I say, and don’t think you can figure it all out.” And then God changes Abram’s name to remind him of who he is (In case he forgets again): you are no longer “exalted ancestor” you are now “ancestor of multitudes.”
As Chapter 17 we see the continued explanation of what it means to trust the way of God (to walk with God) versus to trust the way of our own power in the dialog about Isaac and Ishmael – Ishmael will be blessed but he is the work of human action, Isaac will be the covenantal partner because he is the work of God.
Kind of a placeholder for me. I promise to get back on the road at a better pace very soon. But I am always comforted by all the protection language that God throws around. So far, he’s come through for me most of the time. I need to make sure he’s got that shield all ready and shined up especially now. Or at least send me a few well-armed angels.
What will become of this broken world in light of the curse of sin?? – that is the driving question of the biblical story. Will creation unravel entirely, like a cloth that has been torn inexorably apart? Is the cosmos destined to a fare of death and dissolution? Or can things yet be set back to rights?
We leave the primordial history of a Genesis (chapters 1-11) ends with humanity’s last, best attempt at restoration by our own efforts (the tower of Babel)- a project that comes to ruin, and with it humanity’s hope at engineering our own solution to sin.
Here enters the covenant-Gods pledge that by his own efforts he will make all things new. And we still hold to that covenant today. Interestingly I had always wondered about that strange dream that Abraham had in chapter 15:12-20. I looked it up and discovered that this kind of contract was common in the ancient world between a Lord and his vassal. The deal would be declared publicly and the vessel would sacrifice the animals and place them so. Then the vessel would walk between the animals getting the blood and gore on the hems of his robe. This meaning was that the vassal understood that if he didn’t fulfill the bargain, it would be at the cost of his life and blood. Only here, while Abraham sacrifices the animals and cuts them in half, but it is God, symbolized by the torch and fire pot, who does the walking between them. God signs the contract and pledges exclusively.
“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you”
Gods swears this upon himself. An eternal, unbreakable contract that I will be the savior, based upon not what you have done, but on what I declare for myself. And he walks between these pieces.
So I believe the rest of the Bible is the story of God setting right what went wrong in the Garden of Eden.
Abraham and his descendants were chosen by God to share in this work of restoring creation back to rights.
Next week-it’s not a flood event but close enough.
In this week’s portion I am going to pick up a thread I see in God speaking to Abraham and what happens when he does or does not listen (when he does or does not trust).
In 12:1-4 we see God say “Go” and Abram says cool and goes (a lot to explore there but we will leave that for another time); the interesting piece I see in this is the willingness to go as God calls and clearly what is a deep trust in the word of God – as Abram trusts God responds and provides. Then skip to Chapter 15 and it is only now, after a decade+ that God makes a covenant with Abram: the terms are “don’t be afraid” (Abram’s requirement) and ‘I will be your shield and make your descendants numerous’ (God’s requirement). And so presumably we are all good, except this where Abram’s faith is tested because he is old, his wife is old and he has no children – how can God deliver on the covenant?
In Chapter 16 there is what feels like a throw-away line again at the end of verse 2: “And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai” – this might feel like nice little piece about marital equality and trust but the story is actually about Abram and God, so as Abram is listening to Sarai and taking matters into his own hands with respect to producing an heir he is also wavering in his faith that God will deliver on God’s covenantal promise.
It is this very weakness in faith that produces the second covenant in Chapter 17 which feels like a continuation but has some interesting language to remind us that in fact this is a new covenant and a need for God to remind Abram of the importance of the power dynamic – this is not a small god that was left in Ur, this is El Shaddai – God Almighty, that is a generational God, an eternal God who can make demands that require generational attentiveness.
In this covenant we see reminder that Abram did not express the faith required as God starts by saying “I am God Almighty, walk before me and be blameless” – scholars suggest the language might sound more like “trust me, do what I say, and don’t think you can figure it all out.” And then God changes Abram’s name to remind him of who he is (In case he forgets again): you are no longer “exalted ancestor” you are now “ancestor of multitudes.”
As Chapter 17 we see the continued explanation of what it means to trust the way of God (to walk with God) versus to trust the way of our own power in the dialog about Isaac and Ishmael – Ishmael will be blessed but he is the work of human action, Isaac will be the covenantal partner because he is the work of God.
Kind of a placeholder for me. I promise to get back on the road at a better pace very soon. But I am always comforted by all the protection language that God throws around. So far, he’s come through for me most of the time. I need to make sure he’s got that shield all ready and shined up especially now. Or at least send me a few well-armed angels.
What will become of this broken world in light of the curse of sin?? – that is the driving question of the biblical story. Will creation unravel entirely, like a cloth that has been torn inexorably apart? Is the cosmos destined to a fare of death and dissolution? Or can things yet be set back to rights?
We leave the primordial history of a Genesis (chapters 1-11) ends with humanity’s last, best attempt at restoration by our own efforts (the tower of Babel)- a project that comes to ruin, and with it humanity’s hope at engineering our own solution to sin.
Here enters the covenant-Gods pledge that by his own efforts he will make all things new. And we still hold to that covenant today. Interestingly I had always wondered about that strange dream that Abraham had in chapter 15:12-20. I looked it up and discovered that this kind of contract was common in the ancient world between a Lord and his vassal. The deal would be declared publicly and the vessel would sacrifice the animals and place them so. Then the vessel would walk between the animals getting the blood and gore on the hems of his robe. This meaning was that the vassal understood that if he didn’t fulfill the bargain, it would be at the cost of his life and blood. Only here, while Abraham sacrifices the animals and cuts them in half, but it is God, symbolized by the torch and fire pot, who does the walking between them. God signs the contract and pledges exclusively.
“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you”
Gods swears this upon himself. An eternal, unbreakable contract that I will be the savior, based upon not what you have done, but on what I declare for myself. And he walks between these pieces.
So I believe the rest of the Bible is the story of God setting right what went wrong in the Garden of Eden.
Abraham and his descendants were chosen by God to share in this work of restoring creation back to rights.
Next week-it’s not a flood event but close enough.