Journey of Faith – Abraham’s déjà vu

[First posted August 6, 2012, has it been that long? So here’s a revisit; thanks to the webvisitor who clicked it and brought it back to our attention.

 

Readers must be wondering why we have a running series under the title “Journey of Faith.” We separate Sinai commentary from the three commentaries we feature here so, rule of thumb — whenever you see “Journey of Faith” expect our two-cents-worth insights.  Then, go ahead and check out what all other commentaries have to say in the regular chapter-by-chapter posts.

One of the helpful clues to reading the TORAH is this:  The Torah isn’t a history book. 

 

“A fundamental principle regarding the Five Books of Moses is expressed in this well-known saying among Torah scholars.  ‘There is no earlier or later in the Torah.’  It means that the Torah isn’t a historical narration and isn’t in chronological order. This expression doesn’t mean, of course, that it’s impossible to find facts of history within the Torah.  After all, the story of the exodus of the Children of Israel, for example, is a major part of the Torah and is basically the history of the birth of the Jewish people as a growing family.  The Torah contains the earliest recorded history of the family history of the Jews.  But the Torah is not primarily a source for history; rather, it’s a spiritual document with the purpose of communicating divine eternal wisdom.” — Arthur Kurzweil in TORAH for DUMMIES; see Sinaite’s Notes – What the Torah is NOT – 7.  

 

Our translation of choice in this website is Everett Fox’s The Five Books of Moses, free download courtesy of publisher Schocken Bible, just google “Shocken Bible” and you’ll get there in a click!–Admin1.]

 

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It helps to remember this when there are seeming repetitions in biblical narratives which give skeptics the occasion to cast suspicion on the divine source of the Hebrew Scriptures.

 

Sample two similar episodes in Abraham’s travels that makes the 2nd appear like déjà vu.

 

Earlier in Genesis/Bereshith 12:10-26:  

10 Now there was a famine in the land,

and Avram went down to Egypt, to sojourn there,

for the famine was heavy in the land.

11  It was then he came near to Egypt that he said to Sarai his wife:

Now here, I know well that you are a woman fair to look at.

12  It will be, when the Egyptians see you and say: She is his wife,

that they will kill me, abut you they will allow to live.

13  Pray say taht you are my sister

so that it may go well with me on your account that I myself may live thanks to you.

14  It was when Avram came to Egypt, that the Egyptians saw how exceedingly fair the woman was;

15 when Pharaoh’s courtiers saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh,

and the woman was taken away into Pharaoh’s house.

16  It went well with Avram on her account, 

sheep and oxen, donkeys, servants and maids, she-asses and camels, became his.

17  But YHWH plagued Pharaoh with great plagues, and also his household, because of Sarai, Avram’s wife.

18  Pharaoh had Avram called, and said:  

What is this that you have done to me!

Why did you not tell me that she is your wife?

19 Why did you say:  She is my sister?

—So I took her for myself as a wife.

but now, here is your wife, take her and go!

20  So Pharaoh put men in charge of him, who escorted him and his wife and all that was his.

Later in 20:1-18:

1 Avraham traveled from there to the Negev, and settled between Kadesh and Shur, sojourning
in Gerar.
2 Avraham said of Sara his wife: She is my sister.

So Avimelekh king of Gerar sent and had Sara taken. 

3 But God came to Avimelekh in a dream of the night and said to him:

Here, you must die
because of the woman whom you have taken,

for she is a wedded wife!
4 Avimelekh had not come near her. He said:

My Lord,

Would you kill a nation, though it be
innocent?
5 Did he not say to me: She is my sister,

and also she, she said: He is my brother!

With a whole
heart and with clean hands have I done this.
6 God said to him in the dream:

I also know that it was with a whole heart that you did this,

and so I also held you back from being at fault against me,

therefore I did not let you touch her.
7 But now, return the man’s wife—

indeed, he is a prophet, he can intercede for you—

and live!

But if you do not return her:

know that you must die, yes, die, you and all that is yours!
8 Early in the morning Avimelekh called all his servants,

he spoke all these words in their ears,
and the men became exceedingly afraid.
9 Then Avimelekh had Avraham called and said to him:

What have you done to us?

In what did I fail you,

that you have brought me and my kingdom into such great fault?

Deeds which are not to be done, you have done to me!
10 And Avimelekh said to Avraham:

What did you foresee, that you did this thing?
11 Avraham said:

Indeed, I said to myself:

Surely there is no awe of God in this place,

they will kill me on account of my wife!
2 Then, too, she is truly my sister, my father’s daughter,

however not my mother’s daughter-so
she became my wife.
13 Now it was, when the Power-of-god caused me to roam from my father’s house,

that I said to her:

Let this be the faithfulness that you do me:

in every place that we come, say of me: He is my
brother.
14 Avimelekh took sheep and oxen, servants and maids, and gave them to Avraham,

and returned Sara his wife to him.
15 Avimelekh said:

Here, my land is before you,

settle wherever seems good in your eyes.
16 And to Sara he said:

Here, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your brother,

here, it shall serve you as a covering for the eyes for all who are with you

and with everyone, that you have
been decided for.
17 Avraham interceded with God

and God healed Avimelekh: his wife and his slave-women, so that they gave birth.
18 For YHVH had obstructed, obstructed every womb in Avimelekh’s household

on account of
Sara, the wife of Avraham

Clearly, while Abraham repeats an earlier trick that worked for his self-preservation, these two occasions are different: the first occurs in Egypt, with Pharaoh; the second with the king of Gerar, Abimelech.

 

Insights we gain from these two similar episodes in Abraham’s journey of faith:

 

First, Abram/Abraham:

• He is aware that the beauty of Saray/Sarah could cause him problems, early on according to vs. 20:13, he already prompts Saray what to say, out of “kindness” to him.
• Self-preservation at the expense of wife Saray/Sarah is the rule of thumb in their relationship.
• Pretense in the cause of self-preservation appears to be tolerated by YHWH, at least in these 2 contexts; this patriarch has yet to learn to trust Him.
• Presumption on Abraham’s part that Pharaoh and Abimelech were not God-fearing rulers.
• As many commentators have pointed out, he has told only a half-lie, for Saray/Sarah is truly his half sister;
• Had Abraham chosen the “I cannot tell a lie” route, it would be interesting to know if it would have had the same ending, since YHWH had promised him unconditional blessings;
  •  in the sin category of Catholics, a “venial” sin, not as serious as mortal sin;
  • in secular language, a little “white” lie, permissible so as not to hurt another, or for self-serving purposes.
• So Abram/Abraham should have known better both times, trust YHWH to do His part, just do what is right under any circumstance.
• It should have been easy for Abram/Abraham to have thought that way since he was given a glimpse into his future as well as those of his decendants;
• We are not entitled to the same specific promises to Abraham, but we know the same God of Abraham Whose faithfulness is recorded throughout the Hebrew Scriptures.

 

Second,Saray/Sarah:

• Her beauty must truly have been irresistible (even in her senior years) for these two rulers to invite her to be part of their court.
• She accedes to her husband’s request on both occasions; if it worked the first time, why not the second.
• But how does she really feel in Pharaoh’s presence and Abimelech’s, is not noted.
• Wives, women in those days readily accepted their status without much complaint, credit must be due them in a patriarchal culture where their role is barely mentioned.
  

  Image from chestofbooks.com

• We also never know how Mrs. Pharaoh and Mrs. Abimelech must have felt, but watching on current TV programs some specials featuring  polygamous families, wife number 2-3-4 are all smiles as they share what a relief it is for them to take on common husband on schedule. It’s all a matter of attitude and let’s not forget, religious or cultural brainwashing.

Third, Pharaoh and Abimelech:

• Surprise, surprise, they do have fear of God, but which god?
• They do act honorably toward Saray/Sarah.
• They learn fast, have wisdom enough to connect judgment on their household with taking on another man’s wife, although it helped that YHWH Himself personally dealt with each.
• They end up rewarding Abraham with more wealth despite his tricking them.
• They recognize the God of Abraham is to be obeyed; both occasions should have given these 2 rulers the realization that they met the TRUE GOD and possibly worshipped Him from then on, but that’s speculation.

Finally and most importantly, YHWH:

• Sometimes He allows His chosen to make their own mistakes from their own free will, particularly at the beginning of their getting-to-know-Him stage;
• Other times He steps in and interferes;
• He does communicate with all people, gentile rulers, gentile prophets, not just with Abraham and his descendants but then everyone was gentile at this point. Read the six last words again!
• In Pharaoh’s case, he was quick enough to make the connection between the plague upon his household with his taking on another man’s wife, so YHWH’s dealing with him was indirect;
• In Abimelech’s case, Elohim spoke to him in a dream, in fact they converse, he defends himself, and he does emerge from this experience with reverence and awe of Abraham’s God.
• In YHWH’s wisdom and gracious dealing with mankind, Abraham’s trickery leads to knowledge of his God by the 2 gentile rulers so now we know that God can turn around even our bad choices into good results if it leads to knowledge of Him.

 

Praise be the God of Abraham, His Name is YHWH.

 

 

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