Tag: Abraham

Wells of Living Water

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Now all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up by filling them with dirt.
Genesis 26:15 (NASB)

One rabbinical teaching: a well is a metaphor for the heart. Abraham digging wells is an allegory of God’s living water flowing within us when one is converted by God into belief.

The Philistines filled the wells with worldliness; dirt is cursed ground.

Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he gave them the same names which his father had given them.
Genesis 26:18 (NASB)

When Isaac digs the wells, he digs up the same ones that his father had already dug, and gives them the same names that his father did so the same living water could flow.

Isaac resembles Abraham, doing the work of his father so his father’s work is remembered.

Deeds of the Fathers

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There’s a rabbinical teaching that says “Ma’aseh Avot Siman LaBanim.” This translates to “The deeds of the father are a sign for the children.”

This is rooted in Abraham in Egypt, Isaac in Gerar, and (later) Jacob in Aram.

When Abraham goes to Egypt in Genesis 12, the rabbis teach that everything that happens gives us a pattern of the Exodus: it is seen as a prophetic journey, such that whatever Abraham does, so too will the children of Israel later on.

Here, Isaac goes to Gerar.

Now there was a famine in the land, besides the previous famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. So Isaac went to Gerar, to Abimelech king of the Philistines. And the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I shall tell you.
Genesis 26:1-2 (NASB)

You might think that Gerar, being the land of the Philistines, points to the time of the Judges and the Kings, when Israel struggles against the Philistine kingdoms.

But the rabbis say that Isaac’s journey here is actually about the Babylonian exile.

We already saw Babylon being obscured with names like Shinar and Chaldea. It’s quite possible that Babylon is again being obscured with the name Gerar.

A Spitting Image

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This is the line of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s slave, bore to Abraham.
Genesis 25:12 (The Contemporary Torah, JPS 2006)

This is the story of Isaac, son of Abraham. Abraham begot Isaac.
Genesis 25:19 (The Contemporary Torah, JPS 2006)

Genesis 25:12 reinforced Ishmael’s mother’s identity. It is Hagar.

But Genesis 25:19 repeats Abraham’s role, rather than identity Sarah.

Why?

According to a teaching in the Midrash, it’s because nobody disputed Ishmael’s parents: it was Abraham and Hagar. But there were questions about whether or not Isaac was really the son of… Abimelech.

We, the readers, know the answer, but the people in the story needed to be convinced.

The sages say that a clue is in the word הוֹלִיד (holid) which we translate “sired” or “begot.” The numerical value is identical to דּוֹמֶה (domeh), which means “look alike.”

So the teaching is that when people saw Isaac, they all noted that he looked exactly like Abraham. There was no question: Abraham begot Isaac.

Praying with Rebekah

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Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children; and the Lord answered him, and his wife Rebekah conceived.
Genesis 25:21 (NASB)

A notable contrast between Isaac and Abraham, as it relates to their barren wives, is that Isaac prays for Rebekah. We never saw Abraham pray for Sarah.

But even more, “on behalf of his wife” is literally “in front of his wife.”

Isaac prayed for Rebekah. Who knows? The text may be telling us that he prayed with her.

Repairing the Harm

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After the death of Abraham, God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac settled near Beer-lahai-roi. This is the line of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s slave, bore to Abraham.
Genesis 25:11-12 (The Contemporary Torah, JPS 2006)

After Abraham dies, Isaac moves to the place that is sacred due to Hagar, Ishmael’s mother.

It’s fascinating that Torah immediately goes into Ishmael’s genealogy here, as though it wants to remind us that Ishmael is blessed by God. God sees him, so we should see him.

When Sarah demanded that Hagar and Ishmael be kicked out of Abraham’s house, Isaac was only a child, barely weened. He couldn’t be rightly accused of harboring ill-will against his half-brother, or for being directly responsible for his exile.

Isaac isn’t to blame, but Hagar and Ishmael were kicked out because of Isaac.

When Isaac makes his home near the Sacred Well, I wonder if this teaches us how we are meant to make amends, even for harms we did not cause, but were caused because of us.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”

It’s an odd question; Isaac isn’t the oldest. But Isaac is living out the special blessing, so it’s like he is the older brother, imbued with carrying the Messiah forward.

When you carry the torch, you are meant to light the way for others.

The rabbis say that Ishmael’s presence at Abraham’s funeral points to Ishmael’s repentance, as though he had done something wrong.

I think Isaac is the one who bridges the gap in this story. I think it tells us to bridge that gap as well, even for harms we didn’t cause.

Abraham’s Years

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These are all the years of Abraham’s life that he lived, 175 years.
Genesis 25:7 (NASB)

In Hebrew, Abraham’s years are listed this way: 100 years, and 70 years, and 5 years.

There are only a few people in Scripture who are listed this way. Up to now, the only people written out this way are Adam, Sarah, and Abraham. Every other time, it would have said: five and 70 years, and 100 years.

The sages say that Abraham’s life showed continued refinement and blessings.

A Daughter for Abraham

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There’s a teaching in the Midrash that says Abraham had a daughter, based on Genesis 24:1.

It is based on this word “bakol.”

It means “with everything.”

A certain rabbi considered this word bakol and concluded this: for a man to have everything, he can’t only have a son. He must also have a daughter; her name was Bakol.

This is figurative, but the root of the teaching is lovely.

One of the attributes of God is “All.” This is “kol” in Hebrew. It is this principle that God is both the foundation and creator of “all things,” captured here in Isaiah:

This is what the Lord says, He who is your Redeemer, and the One who formed you from the womb:

“I, the Lord, am the Maker of all things,
Stretching out the heavens by Myself
And spreading out the earth alone,
Isaiah 44:24 (NASB)

But we also read that all the earth benefits from bakol. It is because of bakol.

Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.
Ecclesiastes 5:9 (NKJV)

The literal rendering of this verse in Ecclesiastes is “the profit of the land is bakol.”

If creation itself and all the land in it is blessed by kol, and then we go back to the beginning of creation and see that God made us male and female and in God’s image, bakol must hint at both a son and a daughter.

But these same rabbis say that this doesn’t need to be understood literally. It is a picture.

But also… the story brings in Rebekah, who will be like a daughter to Abraham in this chapter.

Run!

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There’s a lot of running in Genesis 24.

This Hebrew word רוּץ (rootz) means to run. The first two times this word appears in Genesis is when Abraham runs to serve the 3 men who visited him. He runs twice – once to meet them, and once to get a choice calf to cook for them.

In Genesis 24, we have the following:

v17: Eliezer runs to meet Rebekeh
v20: She runs to refill the water jugs
v28: She runs to tell her family
v29: Laben runs to meet Eliezer

Perhaps there’s a lesson here.

We spend a lot of time running FROM things that scare us or worry us. We are trying to outrun the things we fear.

But the people of God are given this example: Run to serve. Run to meet. Run to tell everyone the good news.

Run!

Faithfulness or Foolishness

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There’s a fascinating and robust conversation in the Jewish commentaries about Eliezar, and whether or not his “test” (I’ll ask for water; she’ll offer to water my camels) is appropriate.

Look carefully Abraham’s oath requirement:

…but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.
Genesis 24:4 (NASB)

It’s clear from the text that Abraham’s intention is to find a wife from among his kinsman. From his “relatives.”

But when the servant goes to the well, he’s outside of town, where all manner of young single women can show up. He lays out his petition there.

…now may it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’—may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
Genesis 24:14 (NASB)

The question the rabbis ask is this: Is this a demonstration of faithful trust that God will fulfill the oath to Abraham through his own desire to be obedient, or is this a foolish vow?

What if the woman wasn’t kin?

Depending on your view, the answer leads you to either believe that “testing” God like this is appropriate and faithful, or that it is definitely NOT appropriate, because foolish vows have dire consequences later in the text.

It’s a fascinating discussion.

Seeking Treasure

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When you think of the story of Abraham’s servant seeking a bride for Isaac, we tend to focus on Rebekah’s overwhelming service, which involved repeatedly drawing from a well in order to water 10 camels.

That’s special, but I don’t think “service” is the point.

Rebekah later becomes the mother of Jacob & Esau, and if you know the story (we’ll cover in greater detail later), you’ll know that Rebekah is a bit… tricky. I think we can even say she’s a little manipulative and self-serving in the story. That’s built into her character.

It seems odd that we should see her as being this almost angelic servant here in her introduction. I’ve heard multiple sermons outlining how much work she did out of the “goodness of her heart” to water the camels, but I’ve never heard a good explanation for why she did it. What was it about her, other than “just being a good person with a servant’s heart?”

Translation is part of the problem. In Genesis 24:10, most translations indicate the servant took SOME of Abraham’s goods with him. But the literal read, captured here by the NKJV, is “ALL OF HIS MASTER’S GOODS.”

He brought 10 camels and LOADED them.

Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.
Genesis 24:10 (NKJV)

When Rebekah shows up, she doesn’t just see some man with 10 thirsty camels. She sees… TREASURE! She’s a GOLD DIGGER!

But… aren’t we all? If somebody rolled up with a caravan of 10 Lamborghinis and asked for help filling up car #1, wouldn’t you be quick to offer to fill up the other 9 cars, too? Because… what if they like that you helped? What if they give you a big tip?

If the image is of God extending an invitation to us to join God’s household, doesn’t God “tempt” us with treasures as well?

If God’s treasures are heavenly promises – love, joy, peace, rest… are you not tempted? Wouldn’t you edge closer to water the camels, too?