Chapter 5

The Babylonian Hillbillies: The Adventures of Abraham and His Family (Genesis 12–25:18)

In This Chapter

Discovering why God chose Abraham from all the people of the world

Walking with Abraham and Sarah on the road to being blessed

Understanding the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah

Meeting the founding ancestor of the Muslim religion: Ishmael

Finding out the Bible’s definition of “the good life”

Contemplating why God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son

T he Beverly Hillbillies is a “story ’bout a man named Jed,” who struck it rich when his errant gunshot uncovered a vast oil reserve on his property. Soon, Jed and his family were off to Beverly Hills, California, where they would begin to live a life of plenty with their newfound millions.

In at least its basic outline, Jed’s rags to riches tale isn’t too unlike the biblical story of Abraham (or Abram, as he is called when we first meet him). Only, unlike Jed, this transformation is no accident. Abraham strikes it rich one day when God appears to him and asks him to play a leading role in the human drama unfolding on the world’s stage. Heeding God’s call, Abraham sets out on the journey of a lifetime — a journey that literally changes the world because from his descendants (both physical and spiritual), three of the world’s major religions emerge: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

In this chapter, you look at Abraham’s life and what it is about this “father of three faiths” that has left such an indelible mark on the religious landscape of our world.

Striking It Rich: God Calls Abraham

To understand Abraham’s life, as well as the rest of the Bible, we need to listen in on God’s first conversation with Abraham:

The LORD said to Abram, “Go for yourself, from your country and your kindred and your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

—Genesis 12:1–3

That’s quite a call! And God reiterates this promise on several occasions. While the list varies slightly each time, the basic components stay the same.

God promises Abraham that his descendants will

Become a great nation

Live in a bountiful land

Be blessed

Be a blessing to all the families of the earth

In demonstration of his faith, Abraham obeys God’s call to leave his homeland, setting out on a most excellent adventure.

Accompanying Abraham on his momentous journey are his wife Sarah (or Sarai, when we first meet her), their nephew Lot, their servants, and all their belongings. At the time of their departure, Abraham is 75 years old, and Sarah is 65. Now, before you begin making plans to start your own nation in retirement, Abraham and Sarah will live to be 175 and 127, respectively. So perhaps we are to imagine them as being a little more “vigorous” (sans Viagra) than the average retiree. Yet, despite their vigor, Sarah is childless, a dilemma that will weigh heavy on her and Abraham’s minds as they contemplate God’s promise of numerous descendants.

If you’re reading along in the Bible, you may notice that Abraham is initially called Abram and Sarah is called Sarai. Don’t be confused. These are the same two people. God changes Abram’s name, which means “exalted father,” to Abraham, which means “father of many” in Genesis 17. This new name is quite appropriate because, in this same chapter, God promises Abraham a son (Isaac), whose descendants will one day give birth to a nation (Israel). The significance of Sarah’s name change isn’t quite as apparent because both Sarah and Sarai seem to mean “princess,” although Sarah might be a title suggesting greater authority, such as “queen.”

Abraham’s Most Excellent Adventure to Canaan and Egypt (Genesis 12)

Abraham and his entourage travel along the well-worn Fertile Crescent that runs from Mesopotamia to Egypt, eventually stopping in Canaan at a place called Shechem (see Figure 5-1). Once at Shechem God appears to Abraham and tells him this is the land his descendants will inherit. In response, Abraham builds an altar — the first of many he will build in this new “Promised Land.”

Figure 5-1: Abraham and Sarah’s travels take them along the Fertile Crescent.

Abraham’s initial stay in his Promised Land is actually quite short because a severe famine forces the people of Canaan to go to Egypt to find food. As Abraham and Sarah approach Egypt, Abraham realizes that, given Sarah’s extreme beauty, the Egyptians might try to kill him to take her. You may be thinking, “She’s 65 years old! And this was before Oil of Olay! How beautiful could she be?!” Actually, plenty of 65-year-olds in this world are beautiful. Moreover, Sarah is going to live to be over twice her present age, so we should probably imagine her to still look rather “young for her age.”

In light of the present danger, Abraham says to Sarah: “Tell them you are my sister, and then it will go well with me.” You may be asking, “But isn’t that a lie?! What kind of role model is this?” Actually, this won’t be the last time Abraham tries this “wife-sister act.” In Genesis 20, Abraham tells a Philistine king, Abimelech of Gerar, that Sarah is his sister. To Abraham’s credit, in this second wife-sister act we find out that Abraham is not a total liar, as Sarah is actually his half-sister, making what he says only a “half-lie” or, if you are an optimist, a “half-truth.” But still, this behavior isn’t very admirable. So, what’s going on here?

Although later tradition would ascribe numerous noble acts to Abraham before he is called by God, the Bible doesn’t indicate that there was anything particularly special about Abraham or any of his descendants that made God choose them. God seems to choose Abraham “just because.” Yet, before you start thinking that character doesn’t count, the Bible makes clear that God wants — even commands — that people do what’s right, love their neighbors, tell the truth, pay their taxes (yes, sorry, that one’s in the Bible, too). Moreover, before Abraham's death, he will be a changed man, trusting God with the impossible. But God’s choice of Abraham “just because” is part of another message of the Bible: God is gracious and forgiving.

Despite the moral ambiguities of what her husband asks her to do, Sarah complies by telling the Egyptians that she is indeed Abraham’s sister. The ruse works, and Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) welcomes Sarah into his harem. Abraham, for his good luck in having such a beautiful “sister,” is rewarded by Pharaoh with all kinds of wealth and livestock.

Yet, the party is soon over when God sends “great plagues” against Egypt and Pharaoh realizes that he’s done something wrong, and that this “something” has to do with Sarah. Summoning Abraham into his presence, Pharaoh asks him sternly, “What is this you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say ‘She is my sister’, so that I took her to be my wife?” Without waiting for an answer (one of the perks of being a king), Pharaoh sends Abraham and Sarah on their way, allowing them to leave with all the wealth Abraham had accumulated while in Egypt — which just goes to show you, it pays to lie. Just kidding. Actually, what does this show us?

One reason Abraham and Sarah leave Egypt with great riches is that God has promised to bless Abraham. Although God may not approve of Abraham’s ruse, He’s not going to rescind His promise. Another reason Abraham and Sarah make out like bandits is that many of the events of their lives have meaning beyond their lives. In this particular case, Abraham and Sarah’s sojourn to Egypt points forward to Israel’s later slavery in Egypt where they will also be delivered by plagues and leave with great riches.

Abraham and Lot (Genesis 13–14)

Even though Abraham is willing to tell half-truths to others about his exact relationship with his wife, Abraham has several moral highlights in his early career of following God. Two of these moral moments occur in connection with his nephew, Lot, and give us a glimpse into the potential that God may have seen when He first called Abraham.

Abraham’s generosity toward Lot: Shortly after returning from Egypt, Abraham’s and Lot’s shepherds begin fighting over land rights. In an expression of exceptional deference, Abraham invites Lot to choose whatever real estate looks best to him. Whatever is left, Abraham says, he will take. Lot chooses the beautiful, well-watered plains of Sodom and Gomorrah. Unfortunately, Lot doesn’t realize that property values in this area are about to take a big hit because God will soon destroy these cities for their wickedness. But, without consulting a real estate agent, Lot takes his flocks and family, and they move to the region of Sodom and Gomorrah. It’s no coincidence that after Abraham “gives away” part of his Promised Land, God appears to him again and says:

Lift up your eyes from where you are, and look north, south, east, and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever.

—Genesis 13:14–15

As the Bible says elsewhere, “Give, and you shall receive.”

Abraham rescues Lot: Abraham’s second “moral moment” involving Lot occurs when Lot’s new neighborhood becomes the stage for a massive battle between several warring kingdoms, and many of the inhabitants of Sodom, including Lot and his family, are taken away as war booty. When Abraham finds out about his nephew’s demise, he gathers a band of warriors and rescues Lot, his family, and the others taken in battle, as well as all their stuff.

So, Abraham, like most uncles, is a decent guy after you get past his faults.

Melchizedek: The mysterious priest-king

While Abraham is heading home after rescuing his nephew Lot (Genesis 14), he is met by a very mysterious man, whose name is Melchizedek and who is both the priest and king of the nearby city of Salem. Without a word, this “priest-king” takes out some bread and wine and blesses Abraham. In response, Abraham gives Melchizedek a tenth of all he had gained in the battle when saving Lot. And that’s it. End of story. So, who is this shadowy figure, and what’s going on?

Later passages in the Hebrew Bible equate Melchizedek with God’s promise to Israel that He would one day establish an eternal priesthood. (This promise was particularly comforting for Israel after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.) Within Christian tradition, Melchizedek prefigures Jesus, who similarly initiates a feast involving bread and wine (the so-called Lord’s Supper or Eucharist), and who is presented as both a king (a descendant of King David) and a priest (offering the ultimate sacrifice: his life for the sins of the world).

In the more immediate context, however, Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek, like his experience in Egypt, seems to foreshadow Israel’s future. Salem (Hebrew for “peace”) is later equated with Jerusalem (Hebrew for “City of Peace”), the future capital of ancient Israel, and the city where both the king and high priest of Israel would one day reside. In addition, Abraham’s giving Melchizedek a tenth of his war spoils seems to be a model for later Israel to follow in its own giving to God. In fact, this story, along with other biblical passages, are often used to set the modern-day standard of tithing. (A tithe is a contribution to God of one-tenth of your earnings.)

Cutting a Deal: The Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 15–17)

Although God called Abraham, and has made several promises to him, He has yet to finalize the deal with a contract, or what the Bible calls a covenant. Abraham actually gets two “signed” contracts from God.

When you wish upon a star: Abraham’s numerous descendants

In Genesis 15, God reiterates His promise to Abraham to give him numerous descendants, land, and blessings. But Abraham has heard this promise before, and points out to God an obvious flaw in the contract: “You have yet to give me any offspring.” In response, God tells Abraham to step outside so He can teach Abraham a lesson. Thankfully for Abraham, God does not intend to teach him a physical lesson, but a spiritual one. God asks Abraham to look into the sky: “Count the stars, if you can. So will your descendants be.” Rather than start counting, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). That is, because Abraham believed that God would come through on His promise, God considered Abraham morally upright, despite his many failings.

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul points to this episode of stargazing, and says that just as Abraham was considered righteous because he believed God, so all who wish to be righteous in God’s eyes must do so “through faith, and not by works of the law” (Romans 3:28; 4:1–5).

God is now ready to “cut the deal,” literally, as He asks Abraham to gather some animals and cut them in half, with their two halves facing each other. What’s with the animals? In the ancient world, sacrifices often accompanied covenant ceremonies, not merely as an offering to God (or the gods), but as a symbolic gesture to say, “May I be like these animals should I not live up to my end of this agreement.” In fact, the Hebrew word for “to make” a covenant (karat) is literally “to cut” a covenant.

Once the animals are prepared, God applies His anesthesiological skills on Abraham, causing him to fall into a deep sleep. While Abraham is “under,” God tells him that his descendants will be enslaved for 400 years, but will eventually be delivered from their bondage by miraculous signs. This prediction refers to Israel’s exodus from Egypt, and further confirms that during Abraham’s life many of Israel’s future experiences are foreshadowed.

Taking matters into your own hands: Hagar and Ishmael

Despite now having a “signed” contract, Abraham and Sarah begin to doubt whether God intends to provide a son for them through Sarah. As a result, Sarah offers Abraham her maidservant, an Egyptian named Hagar, saying, “Go, sleep with my handmaid — perhaps I can build a family through her.” (In the ancient world, it was not uncommon in cases of barrenness for a man to bear children through a surrogate mother or concubine.) Abraham agrees.

When Hagar sees that she has conceived a child, she begins to despise Sarah, apparently feeling superior to her mistress for being able to become pregnant. Sarah, in turn, treats Hagar harshly, and Hagar runs away. Yet, in keeping with God’s compassionate nature, He finds Hagar, desperate and alone, and, via an angel (the word angel means “messenger”), tells her to return to Sarah. Moreover, the angel tells Hagar that she, too, will have countless descendants. Finally, the angel tells her to name her son Ishmael, because “the LORD has heard your affliction.” This is wordplay, as Ishmael means “God will hear,” and it has been this conviction — that God hears the cries of the afflicted — that has led many throughout history to help those in need.

Cutting another deal: The Abrahamic Covenant of Circumcision

When you’ve been promised numerous descendants but have no children to show for it, you need reassurance that the deal is still on, especially as you get well into your nineties. And this is exactly what God gives Abraham and Sarah when He again appears to Abraham to reiterate His promise, only this time He adds (or really, “takes away”) a little something:

Every male among you, when he is eight days old, must be circumcised.

—Genesis 17:10

Biblical circumcision is the process of cutting away part of the foreskin on the penis. (Ouch.) And lest we think that Abraham is excluded from this procedure because he is more than 8 days old, God makes it clear that there is no grandfather clause in this contract. In obedience to God’s command, Abraham is circumcised, as is every male in his household — and many Jews, Christians, and Muslims have followed suit ever since. (For more information about the major world religions, get a copy of Religion For Dummies, by Marc Gellman and Thomas Hartman, published by Wiley.)

Why circumcision is made part of the Abrahamic Covenant is not entirely clear, although many cultures believe that this act of “pruning” increases fertility, which is interesting considering God’s words to Abraham in the context of this command: “I will make you very fruitful” (Genesis 17:6).

Abraham’s Three Mysterious Visitors (Genesis 18)

One day, while Abraham is hanging out at his tent, three mysterious men appear. In keeping with the ancient rules of hospitality, Abraham rushes out to meet these strangers, insisting they stay awhile. The three visitors agree.

Entertaining angels unawares

While eating, the visitors ask Abraham where Sarah is. Perhaps a little perplexed that these strangers know his wife’s name, Abraham informs them that she is in the tent. One of the visitors then announces, “I will come back next time this season, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Wow. For guys who just showed up on the scene, they are pretty well informed.

Sarah, hearing the stranger’s prediction, laughs in disbelief. The visitor sharply rebukes Sarah saying, “Is anything too difficult for the LORD?” This interchange is important because it reminds the reader (and Sarah) that God can do anything. Moreover, Sarah’s laughter will help God decide on a name for this little lad. (See “Abraham: Father of Many Nations . . . and Faiths” later in this chapter.)

So, who are these guys who show up at your doorstep unannounced, start talking to you as if they know you well, and then reveal intimate details about your life? Probably your in-laws. However, in the present narrative, the identity of these strangers is both obvious and mysterious. First the obvious part: After the announcement that Abraham and Sarah will have a son by next year, two of these visitors are called “angels,” so that makes identifying them easy. “But,” you may be thinking, “Wouldn’t Abraham have noticed the wing-bulge under the angels’ garments?” Actually, no.

When angels visit humans in the Bible, they often look just like humans. In fact, it seems that angels don’t have wings at all. That is, the television series Touched by an Angel has it right: Gabriel, Michael, Monica, Andrew, Tess, and the rest of the angelic crew don’t have wings. Having said that, there are some “species” of angelic beings, such as seraphim, who do have wings (seraphim have six wings!). However, these angels are usually portrayed as staying in heaven.

Abraham’s third divine visitor is a little more mysterious. He speaks as though he is God, and he is even called “the LORD.” Yet, other biblical passages say that no one can see God and live. So, who is this visitor?

Some have suggested that this third visitor is merely an angel (don’t ever say “merely an angel,” however, to an angel). Angel means messenger; therefore, this angel speaks as though he is God, just as royal messengers would often speak in the person of the king.

Later Christian tradition would equate this third visitor with Jesus, in what theologians call his “preincarnate state,” which means, literally, “before having flesh” (that is, before becoming a baby in a manger).

Still others have suggested that this third visitor is God, but in a less concentrated form, lest His presence cause “permanent” damage (that is, death). This concept is known as a theophany — an appearance of God, which can be in any form, though is usually humanlike.

Whoever this third visitor is, he has not only come to deliver a birth announcement, he has come to check on reports of trouble in the neighborhood — in particular, Lot’s neighborhood: Sodom and Gomorrah.

Hospitality in the ancient world

Abraham’s encounter with the three heavenly sojourners was the moment that nearly everyone in the ancient world lived for: Strangers that you entertained are actually divine visitors. In many cultures, it was (and is) believed that the gods visit humans from time to time to test their virtue. Therefore, if you shunned a stranger, you were taking a big risk (just ask the prince in Beauty and the Beast). This belief helped to ensure that wayfarers were well cared for while traveling, since you never knew whether a stranger might be someone important (say, a god or angel) in disguise.

Bargaining with God

After two of Abraham’s divine visitors depart, the third visitor, speaking as though he is God, informs Abraham, “I have come down to see if the outcry that has come to Me is as bad as I’ve heard.” By saying that God “came down” to look into Sodom and Gomorrah’s crimes, the biblical author doesn’t mean that God’s vision was impaired from heaven. Rather, the Bible intends to communicate that God renders judgment only after carefully investigating a matter — thereby establishing the model for human behavior.

Abraham, however, is not yet convinced of God’s justice, as his response reveals:

Far be it from You to do this thing — killing the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked the same! Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do justice?

—Genesis 18:25

This discussion is precisely the one God wants to have with Abraham, especially because his view of God will inform the views of many to follow.

As a further expression of God’s concern that Abraham understand that He is just, God allows Abraham to engage Him in some bargaining. Abraham asks: “Suppose there are fifty righteous people within the city. Will You still wipe out the place and not forgive it for the sake of the fifty righteous in it?” God assures Abraham that He will not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if He finds fifty righteous people there.

Abraham, perhaps feeling like he aimed too high in his bidding, keeps lowering the bid, first by fives and then by tens, eventually stopping at ten. With each bid, Gods responds, “Sure — for that number, I will not destroy the city.” And God departs, having demonstrated to Abraham that whether or not Sodom and Gomorrah survive, He is willing to bargain if that helps others see Him for who He really is.

Fire and Brimstone: The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19)

After God’s and Abraham’s collective-bargaining agreement, the scene shifts to Sodom, where the two angels are just arriving at the city gate. Lot, whose presence at the gate suggests that he’s become an important member of the city, sees these strangers and invites them to stay at his home. If this situation is a test of his hospitality, so far, Lot, like his uncle, is doing well.

Yet, after preparing a meal for his guests, things go sour — not the food mind you, but the circumstances. The inhabitants of Sodom, aware that Lot is entertaining strangers, gather around his house and demand that he bring them out “so that we may know” them. This request is reasonable. After all, these men are strangers from who knows where, and they very well could be spies sent by some enemy king wanting to attack the city. (Sodom had recently experienced such an attack. See “Abraham and Lot” earlier in this chapter.) So, it’s no wonder that the people of Sodom are a little jittery about strangers.

But more seems to be going on here than just wanting to investigate why these strangers have come to Sodom. The most common meaning of the Hebrew word used for “to know” (yada’) is simply to have factual knowledge about something. However, another meaning is “to have sex with” (for example, “Adam knew his wife, Eve, and they had a son”). We realize that the latter meaning is intended in the present case because of Lot’s response to the crowd’s request:

No, my friends, do not do this wicked thing. See, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them to you, and you can do to them whatever you want. Only do not do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.

—Genesis 19:7–8

This is a strange offer if all they wanted to do was ask a few questions. But another, more pressing question arises: “What kind of father would offer his daughters to a sex-craved, ravenous crowd?” The answer is quite simple: Lot.

In defense of Lot, some interpreters have understood his offer to be extremely noble, perhaps one of the noblest acts in all the Bible! By this understanding, Lot’s offer is an example of tremendous self-sacrifice, the ultimate in hospitality, as he is willing to sacrifice his own daughters for the protection of his guests. Others, however, have viewed Lot’s actions as cowardly. He should have protected his guests and his daughters, or at least died trying.

Whatever Lot’s motives for offering his daughters, the crowd refuses the offer and moves toward his door to secure by force what Lot wouldn’t give freely.

The angels intervene by striking the crowd with blindness. Then, turning to Lot, the angels tell him to gather his family and escape from the city, “for the LORD is going to destroy it.” Lot makes haste to tell his future sons-in-law of God’s intentions, but they think he’s joking and refuse to follow him. Lot, now with only his wife and two daughters, flees from the city with the angels.

The LORD then sends down “fire and brimstone” to destroy Sodom and the other cities of the plain. (It is from this narrative that we get the phrase “fire and brimstone,” which describes someone who [over-]emphasizes God’s judgment in his or her preaching.) While Lot and his family are still running for their lives, one of the angels warns them, “Whatever you do, don’t look back!” As anyone knows, the last thing you do if you don’t want someone to look at something is to say, “Don’t look!” Remarkably, only one of them does — Lot’s wife — and she instantly turns into a pillar of salt.

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah has given rise to the word “sodomy,” which refers to homosexual behavior, since the inhabitants of Sodom want to have relations with the men (really “angels”) visiting Lot. However, most biblical passages that reflect on the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah don’t mention their sexual practices, but list offenses such as their mistreatment of the poor and their neglect of justice (see, for example, Isaiah 3:8–15).

Lot and his daughters eventually make it to a mountainous cave, where they find refuge from the destruction below. In a story that they didn’t teach you in synagogue or Sunday school (and perhaps for good reason), Lot’s older daughter suggests to her sister, “Let’s get father drunk with wine and sleep with him.” You can almost see the look in the younger sister’s eyes as she says, “Um, goood ideaaa, sis,” while reaching for her cell phone to call 911.

Actually, the older sister does have a “good” reason: “There is no man around here to sleep with.” As far as she knows, all the eligible bachelors just died in the “big catastrophe,” including the most important to them: their fiancés. Sleeping with their father, they feel, is the only way to preserve the family line. That night, the two sisters get their father extremely drunk — so drunk, in fact, that the text says, “[Lot] did not know when [the older sister] lay down and when she got up” (Genesis 19:33). The next night, the younger daughter takes her turn, and both become pregnant.

So, what’s going on here? And why is this in the Bible? No doubt, this narrative offers a number of lessons to learn, including the negative effects of excessive alcohol consumption and, perhaps, the corrupting influence of a bad environment on one’s family. (The adage, “You can take the family out of Sodom, but you can’t take Sodom out of the family,” comes to mind.) But this narrative has another reason for being in the Bible that doesn’t have to do so much with lessons as it does with relationships between future nations.

From these incestuous relationships come two sons, that is brothers, we mean grandsons . . . drats, these blended families!

The older daughter names her son Moab, which sounds like the Hebrew words for “from my father” (appropriately enough).

The younger daughter names her son Ben-Ammi, which is Hebrew for “son of my people” (not so revealing a name, for which Ben-Ammi was extremely grateful during his junior high years).

Although this narrative may seem peculiar to us (and well it should), it’s significant for later developments in the biblical story because Moab’s and Ben-Ammi’s descendants — the Moabites and the Ammonites, respectively — play an important role in the later history of Abraham’s descendants, the Israelites. The Moabites and the Ammonites were their “next door neighbors” to the southeast and east, respectively. Thus, if you were to ask an ancient Israelite who the Moabites and Ammonites were, they would say, “You mean those sons-of-an-incestuous-relationship-between-our-founding-father’s-nephew-and-his-daughters?!” Hardly the stuff for good relationships, but it does establish a relationship, and the Israelites expect these relationships to guarantee peace between these countries.

A pillar of the community

To understand the fate of Lot’s wife, it helps to know the presumed location of Sodom and Gomorrah. Tradition places the former sites of these cities near the Dead Sea, which is the lowest body of water on earth. In fact, the salt content of the Dead Sea is about 30 percent, making it impossible for anything to live in it (hence, the name). Yet, because of this high salt content, salt deposits appear all along its banks. Therefore, one walking through this region would notice a lot of “pillars of salt.” Apparently, one of these pillars was thought to be Lot’s wife. Even today, if you go on a tour in this region, your guide likely will point to one of these pillars and tell you that it’s Lot’s wife (though, notably, the guide will point to a different one with each group — tour guide humor, if you will).

What’s in a name?

Isaac’s naming points out an important aspect of names in the Bible and in many ancient (and modern) cultures: Names have meaning. True, all names have meaning. Perhaps you even know the meaning of your name. But in many cultures, names have meeeeaning (if you know what we mean). That is, people’s names are actually words in their present language, so anyone hearing their name immediately knows what it means. Thus, when someone met Isaac, he or she would know instantly that his name meant “laughter.” Moreover, a person would know that his name reflected something important about him, such as a character quality, the hopes and dreams of his parents, his religious beliefs, and so on. A name would actually be a great conversation piece (“Why did your parents name you ‘laughter’?”). So, while in many cultures to forget a name is, at worst, embarrassing, in other cultures, and in the world of the Bible, to forget a name would mean to forget something important about that person.

Abraham: Father of Many Nations . . . and Faiths (Genesis 21)

A year after laughing at the strangers’ prediction that Sarah would have a son, Abraham and Sarah find themselves laughing again, but this laughter reflects their being tickled at the news of having a healthy baby boy. As a result of all this laughter surrounding the birth of their son, Abraham and Sarah, following God’s instructions, name their son “laughter” or “he will laugh,” which is Yitzak in Hebrew and Isaac in English.

With the birth of Isaac, the old rivalry between Hagar and Sarah soon reappears, manifesting itself, of all places, at Isaac’s “weaning” party. That’s right, in many cultures (both ancient and modern), people celebrate the cessation of breastfeeding (perhaps you had a similar celebration). Yet, before imagining cute little Isaac in his baby carriage cooing as he listens to everyone celebrating on his (and Sarah’s) behalf, Isaac would have been fully aware of what was going on. In many cultures (both ancient and modern), a child is commonly weaned anywhere from 3 to 6 years old.

During the celebration, however, something goes wrong. Although the exact nature of the offense is unclear, Ishmael did something toward Isaac that upset Sarah enough that she asks Abraham to send Hagar and her son away, never to return. Yet, Ishmael isn’t just Hagar’s son, he is Abraham’s son, and Abraham doesn’t want to see him go. While contemplating what to do, God appears to Abraham and assures him that Ishmael and Hagar will be okay, and that Ishmael’s descendants will someday become a great nation. With this assurance, Abraham says farewell to Hagar and his beloved son.

This isn’t the last we see of Ishmael (or his descendants, who are called the Ishmaelites in the biblical text). Later in the Bible, when Abraham dies, Ishmael returns to help Isaac bury their father. And Ishmaelites appear now and again in the biblical text. Although not recorded in the Bible, according to the Koran, the Holy Book of Islam, Abraham visits Ishmael at Mecca (in modern-day Saudi Arabia), where they build an altar together, called the Ka’aba. Today the Ka’aba serves as the most holy site of the Muslim religion (see Chapter 24).

Asking the Unthinkable: The Near Sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22)

Back in Genesis 12, God initiates His relationship with Abraham by calling him to leave his homeland and “Go for yourself, to the land I will show you.” In Genesis 22, Abraham receives a similar, but far more troubling, call:

Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go for yourself to the land of Moriah. There you will sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will show you.

—Genesis 22:2

The similarities between Abraham’s first and last calls are purposeful. Not only do both contain the words “go for yourself,” but both calls narrow in focus from the general to the specific. In Abraham’s first call, God tells Abraham to leave his country, then his relatives, and then his father’s house. This narrowing focus seems to be the Bible’s way of communicating that God is aware of the price He is asking Abraham to pay in leaving his family.

With this in mind, look at the narrowing focus of God’s second call to Abraham:

Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac.

Ishmael has left, so God simply could have said, “Take your son” or, to cut to the chase, “Take Isaac.” But God’s narrowing command demonstrates that He is intimately aware of what He is asking Abraham to do — and He cares.

The journey

When Abraham receives the call to sacrifice his son, the text simply reports: “Abraham got up early the next morning, saddled his donkey, took two servants and his son Isaac, and after cutting enough wood for the burnt offering, set out for the place God had told him” (Genesis 22:3). You may ask, “Why would Abraham bargain over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah and not over the fate of his own son?” The text doesn’t say. Yet many scholars feel that it is precisely because of Abraham’s experience in the Sodom and Gomorrah incident that makes it unnecessary for him to bargain here. Abraham now knows that no matter what God does, He does it for a reason. So, Abraham silently obeys.

Abraham and Isaac eventually arrive at the place where God wants “the deed” done. Abraham takes the wood for the sacrifice and, in ironic fashion, places it on Isaac for him to carry — the one who will soon be placed on it. Abraham then takes a torch and knife, and with these accoutrements of sacrifice, they begin the arduous journey up the mountain.

As they make their way, Isaac breaks the silence with a question: “Father . . . I see the fire and the wood for the burnt offering, but where is the lamb?” Abraham, apparently wanting to be truthful, but not wanting to say too much, responds: “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Abraham’s answer is actually profound on a number of levels:

First, God was the one who provided the “lamb” for the offering by giving Abraham and Sarah the son they otherwise would never have had.

Second, for those who know the end of the story, God will provide the lamb, or more specifically, a ram, to offer in Isaac’s place.

Third, because there is no punctuation in the original Hebrew, Abraham’s response could be rendered: “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering: (namely) my son.”

Perhaps the author intends that we understand Abraham’s response with all these possible meanings.

Eventually they reach the location for the sacrifice, and Abraham builds an altar for the sacrifice.

With no apparent discussion or explanation, Abraham binds Isaac and places him upon the altar. In fact, Isaac’s silence through this whole ordeal has baffled many. Did Isaac passively accept his father’s binding? Did Abraham explain to his son what he was doing and why? Later interpreters imagined all sorts of conversations taking place between Abraham and Isaac in their “last” moments together. Yet, notably, the Bible does not tell us what, if anything, was said between Abraham and Isaac during this ordeal.

Abraham’s action of binding (‘aqad in Hebrew) Isaac before going through with the intended sacrifice has given rise to the Hebrew name for this story: The Aqedah (in English, The Binding).

Rock of ages

The mountain upon which Abraham offers his son Isaac as a sacrifice is called Mount Moriah. This mountain is identified later in the Bible as the place where the Temple in Jerusalem is eventually built. Today, the Dome of the Rock, one of the most holy sites of Islam, stands over what is believed to be the rock upon which Isaac was almost sacrificed, and the rock from which Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, is said to have ascended into paradise (see Chapter 24).

Saved in the knick of time

After Isaac is upon the altar, Abraham raises his knife and plunges it into . . . wait, was that a voice? Yes. Listen closely.

Abraham! Abraham! . . . Do not lay your hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God because you have not withheld from Me your only son.

—Genesis 22:12

Whew! That was close. And for Abraham’s willingness to offer up his son as a sacrifice, God reiterates His promise to Abraham of many descendants and blessings (Genesis 22:16–18).

So, then, why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac? After all, if this was simply a test of Abraham’s faith, then why not ask Abraham to jump off a cliff, or slide down the pyramids . . . or even sacrifice himself?

While many proposals have been put forth, the ultimate reason God would ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac is that Isaac, more than anything or anyone else, embodies God’s promises to Abraham. Without Isaac, there is no heir, no nation, no promises, and no blessings. By asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, God is asking Abraham to demonstrate his complete trust in Him for his future. Abraham demonstrates his complete trust, and for this he not only receives God’s promises but also experiences the “good life.”

When we first meet Abraham, he lies to protect his life, risks Sarah’s well-being to enrich himself, uses a surrogate mother to bypass God’s promise, and questions God’s sense of justice over Sodom and Gomorrah. Now, near the end of his life, Abraham is a different person. He realizes that the good life or having a great name comes not from doing whatever it takes to get ahead, but from trusting in God and doing what’s right (see Chapter 4). More precisely, from the Bible’s perspective, one cannot truly achieve the good life without living a good life (that is, doing what’s right, trusting God, loving others, and so on.) One may make it to the “top of the heap,” but, as good as that sounds when sung by Frank Sinatra (who, by the way, could make “Who Let the Dogs Out?” sound inspiring), it is of no real value if “the heap” is made up of broken promises, broken relationships, and broken commandments. Abraham has undergone character development — an important part of any good work of literature, and of any good life.

One Wedding and Two Funerals (Genesis 23–25:18)

The Abrahamic narratives end with perhaps the saddest and happiest moments of Abraham’s life: Sarah’s death and Isaac’s marriage. Then, after an adventurous and full life, Abraham himself moves on to the ultimate “Promised Land.”

Sarah’s death

Shortly after Isaac’s near sacrifice, Sarah dies. Later interpreters suggested, in fact, that it was the stress of this event that eventually did her in. We can only imagine. In the wake of Sarah’s death (no pun intended), Abraham purchases a plot of land for her burial. Actually, all of Genesis 23 is devoted to this “land deal.” Some people have wondered, “Why does the Bible spend so much time describing a business transaction?” The answer is: “Because this is no ordinary business transaction.” It is at this point in the Abrahamic narratives that we realize that even though Abraham has been guaranteed the “Promised Land,” he technically owns none of it. This “deal” marks the initial purchase, the “down payment” as it were, on the whole property.

The land and cave that Abraham purchases are near the city of Hebron (southwest of Jerusalem), and it is in this cave — called the Cave of Machpelah — that all the patriarchs and most of the matriarchs will be buried. Today, this cave is still honored as a holy site by Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Isaac gets hitched

Abraham, now advancing in years, is concerned about finding a wife for Isaac. Part of his concern is that he doesn’t want Isaac to marry a local girl, but rather someone from his own clan. As a result, Abraham instructs his servant, Eliezer, to go back to Abraham’s homeland (Haran) and see if he can find a wife for Isaac. Although the servant is skeptical at the prospects of success, Abraham assures him that “God will give you success”. And God does. When the servant arrives at Abraham’s ancestral home, he sees a beautiful woman named Rebekah at a well (wells were ancient pick-up joints — which is why we call bars “wells” or “watering holes”). The servant prays that if she is the one, she will offer him and his camels a drink. And she does.

Soon, negotiations for Rebekah’s marriage are under way with her father, Bethuel (Abraham’s nephew and Lot’s cousin), her mother (unnamed), and her brother, Laban (who will become important later — see Chapter 6). But Rebekah is not totally left out of the negotiations, as she is asked: “Will you go with this man?” “Yes, I will go,” Rebekah says. And off they go.

Shortly after Isaac and Rebekah meet, Isaac brings Rebekah into his mother’s tent “and she became his wife, and Isaac loved her.” The story closes with the following notice: “And Isaac was comforted in the matter of his mother’s death.” As you might have guessed, Freud loved this stuff.

Abraham’s other children

In addition to Ishmael and Isaac, Abraham actually has a number of other children. According to Genesis 25:1–4, after Sarah’s death, Abraham marries a woman named Keturah, who goes on to have six sons. In addition, Genesis 25:6 says that Abraham had other sons by “his concubines.” Although these children don’t play a central role in Genesis, their descendants pop up now and then later in the biblical text. For example, one of Abraham’s sons by Keturah — Midian — seems to be the ancestor of the Midianites, one of whom, a woman named Zipporah, marries the great Israelite leader Moses (see Exodus 2 and Chapter 7 of this book).

Abraham’s death

With the marriage of Isaac complete, Abraham’s hopes for the future are assured. Abraham can now leave this world knowing that the promises God made to him so many years ago will now come to pass. His descendants will one day become a great nation; they will possess the land on which he is now living; they will be blessed; and they will bless all the people of the world. With these assurances, Abraham dies at the age of 175 years old — “an old man and full of years” (you can say that again!).