Genesis 23-25: Two Weddings and a Funeral
Genesis 23
This chapter is the telling of the death of Sarah and Abraham's subsequent burial of her. Abraham had to procure a burial spot for her, and that is also related. Let's take a look.
This chapter opens by telling us that Sarah was 127 years old, and she died at Kirjath-arba which is the same as Hebron in the land of Canaan.
The focus immediately shifts to Abraham and his addressing a group known as "the sons of Heth." He told them that he was a stranger among them and requested a burying place for his dead so that it would be out of his sight.
The "children of Heth" responded to Abraham, saying that he was a mighty prince among them and should pick from any of their sepulchres for his dead.
Abraham was so moved as to bow to these people and chose a sepulchre that belonged to Ephron, the son of Zohar. He asked for the cave of Machipeleh that was on his field, and told him that he would pay a fair price for it.
Ephron said no, that he would simply give the cave and the field to Abraham so that he may bury his dead.
Again Abraham was moved to bow before the people of this land. He pleaded with Ephron, telling him that he would pay for it, that he had the money and wanted Ephron to take it so he could bury his dead.
Ephron responded that it was worth 400 shekels and asked what that was between them.
Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron and took possession of the field and everything that was on it including the cave. The chapter concludes with Abraham burying Sarah in the cave.
Conclusion
Not a chapter of much substance. We have the death of Sarah, the procurement of her burial place, and her burial. Not much to break down here, really. Abraham lost his wife and buried her.
The only thing that even merits looking at is the fact that Sarah died in Hebron, and Abraham also buried her there. In verse 4 Abraham said to the inhabitants of this area that he was a stranger among them. Not only was Abraham familiar with the area of Hebron, he had been there for quite some time. Hebron is on the plains of Mamre as we are told in verse 19. Looking back to Genesis 18, verse 1, the Lord visited Abraham there before destroying Sodom and Gomorrah. Anyone who has been to this area knows that even by foot, nothing is so isolated.
Genesis 24
Here we come to the joining of Isaac with a wife. Abraham, perhaps being a little bigotted, makes one of his servants go out of the land where they dwell and go back to Abraham's land and there procure a wife for Isaac. We see the completion of this mission, and the forthcoming union. Let's take a look.
The chapter opens by telling us that Abraham was old and stricken with age, but that he had been blessed by the Lord in all things. Abraham tells his oldest servant to swear to him that he will go into their land and get a wife for his son, Isaac. Abraham makes the servant swear by the God of heaven and the God of earth. The way that he swore was to put his hand under Abraham's thigh.
The servant had some doubts and asked what he should do if the woman would not come willingly. He asked if he should maybe bring Isaac with him. Abraham said that under no conditions was he to bring Isaac to that land. He told the servant that an angel of God would go there before him, but if no woman would follow then the servant should be cleared from this oath. The servant agreed and swore by putting his hand under Abraham's thigh.
So the servant took ten camels and departed for the land of Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
The servant stopped at a well outside of the city of Nahor at eveningtime and caused the camels to kneel. He knew that this was the time when the women of the city came out to the well to fetch water for their households. He himself prayed to the 'Lord God' of his master to send him good speed and to show kindness to his master. He asked God if he would provide a damsel to him and that he should be able to recognize her by the fact that she would give him and his camels water to drink.
The tale goes on to say that before the servant was done speaking in his heart that Rebekah, the grand-daughter of Abraham's brother, had come to the well. We are told that she was very fair to look at, and because of this, the servant ran up to her and asked her for water to drink. She fulfilled the necessary signs, giving him and his camels water to drink, and so he gave her some jewelry of gold.
The servant asked her if she had room and board for him and his camels and also who she was. She replied that she was the daughter of Bethuel who was the son of Nahor. Because of this, the servant worshipped the Lord.
Rebekah ran back to her house and told the people there what had happened. Her brother Laban, after seeing the jewelry, ran to the well and asked the servant why he was still there when he had prepared the house for him. So the men went to the house and cared for the camels and washed their feet. Here we are told that the servant was not alone but that men had also come with him.
A meal was prepared for the servant, but he told them that he must relate why he was there before he could eat. He told them that he was the servant of Abraham and that Abraham had been greatly blessed by the Lord. He told them of the oath that he had made with Abraham about finding Isaac a wife. He told them that he had journeyed and prayed to the Lord how he would know that a woman had been selected for Isaac.
He told them how Rebekah had come and done exactly that which he had asked for as a sign of the Lord. He told them that he had put the jewelry on her and how he had worshipped again. He asked them if they would deal kindly with his master, Abraham and give Rebekah to Isaac, or to tell him no so he could look elsewhere.
Bethuel and Laban replied that it was not for them to speak either good or bad about the works of the Lord. They told the servant that Rebekah was before him and that he should take her to Isaac, as the Lord had commanded. Again the servant worshipped the Lord.
Then the servant gave to Rebekah more jewels of gold, and also jewels of silver, and raiment. He also gave precious things to her mother and brother. Then the people ate and drank into the night.
The next morning the servant rose and asked the people of the house to send him to his master. Rebekah's mother and brother asked that Rebekah stay with them for a few days, at least ten, and then she would go. The servant asked them not to hinder him, and they said that they would ask Rebekah if she would go.
They called Rebekah and asked her if she would go with this man, and she replied that she would. Finally complying, they sent Rebekah and her nurse away with the servant and Abraham's men. They blessed her saying that she was their sister, and said that she should be, 'the mother of thousands of millions and let thy seed posess the gate of those which hate them."
The servant and his men, as well as Rebekah and her maidens, rode back towards the land of the Canaanites where Abraham dwelled.
Here we are told that Isaac dwelled in the south country at a place named Lahai-roi. He went out into the fields to meditate at eveningtime and saw that the camels were approaching.
When Rebekah saw Isaac she got off of her camel and went to him, for she had been told that this was the servant's master. She covered herself with a veil and went to Isaac.
The servant told Isaac all of the things which he had done, and so Isaac took Rebekah into the tent of his mother and 'knew' Rebekah. He took her to be his wife, and was comforted after his mother's death.
This concludes chapter 24.
Conclusion
A very interesting chapter to say the least. It jumps right in again telling us how great Abraham is treated by God. We have seen no reason why he should be treated so well. He has lied, cheated, stolen, murdered, been adulterous, and now we can add prejudiced, as well.
We do not know why Abraham acts so strangely here, but he definitely does. He does not want his son to marry from the people whose land in which he dwells, and he does not want his son to go to this other land and pick a wife for himself. We are given no reason for either wish.
So Abraham sends a servant to do his bidding, and makes his servant swear to the "God of the heaven and the God of the earth." Were these two seperate Gods? Would the author not write, "the God of heaven and earth" if it were just one God? More proof that the author was not monotheistic? Could be.
The next thing that jumps out at me is the servant praying to his master's God. Did the master not have a God of his own? If the master did not claim this God as his own, why would he think that he would get any kind of response?
And what of this sign given to the servant? If I am a woman at a well by myself and a man runs up to me and asks me for water, I am going to give him water. Beyond that, I am going to do all that I can to placate him so he will not hurt me. Rebekah did everything that any woman in her place would logically do.
We also see another bit of incest in this chapter. Isaac and Rebekah are cousins, and their union would seem to me to be of a greater offense to God than other laws that we will reach later.
The rest of this chapter doesn't cause much problems with me. We see the origin of a dowry... purchasing a wife. Rightfully so, as the roots of a primitive act should be found so far back. We also see the "subservient female", and again the primitive roots for a primitive custom. That said, let's move on.
Chapter 25
A very busy chapter to say the least. We have a wedding, a few deaths, births, and a sale of a birthright. Also a conversation with God, and an explanation from him. Let's take a look.
The chapter opens with Abraham taking to him a new wife named Keturah. We are told that she bore to him 9 children.
We see that Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac, but unto his newer children he gave gifts and sent them off to live in the east away from Isaac.
Abraham lived for 175 years and then died. He lived a "good old age, an old man, and full of years;"
Isaac and Ishmael took Abraham to the cave of Machepelah where Sarah had been buried and they buried their father there.
After Abraham was buried, God blessed Isaac, and Isaac dwelt by the well at Lahai-roi.
Verses 12-16 are a listing of the 12 princes that Ishmael bore, and also the explanation that the towns held the same names. Ishmael lived 137 years and he died.
The chapter goes on to recap the history of Isaac and his marriage to Rebekah.
Here we see a similar theme that was played out with Abraham. Isaac, like his father, pleaded with the Lord to give Rebekah a child, for she was barren. Again, the Lord was giving, and Rebekah conceived.
The pregnancy was not easy for Rebekah, though, for the child struggled within her. So Rebekah went to the Lord and asked him why her pregnancy was like this.
The Lord explained to Rebekah that two nations were in her womb, and one would be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.
When it was time for the birth, twins were born. The first came out covered all over with red hair. They called his name, Esau. His brother came out holding on to the heel of Esau and they called him Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when the twins were born.
The boys grew and Esau was a sly hunter, a "man of the field", while his brother Jacob was a "plain man, dwelling in tents". Isaac loved Esau because he ate vennison, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
One day, Esau came from the field and was very faint and near to death from exhaustion. He begged his brother to feed him some red pottage, and that is why his name was called Edom(?).
Jacob said that he would feed him if Esau would give him his birthright. Esau did not care for his birthright and so he swore it away to Jacob for some food. This concludes chapter 25.
Conclusion
A lot to examine in this chapter. Unlike chapters that we have already looked at, this one looks at a series of events, and not just one event.
Much of this chapter is very easy to accept, as it is just lists of births and deaths. A couple of things stick out, though.
Abraham lived to be 175 years old, and we are told that he was very old. As I mentioned earlier, Abraham's ancestors, no more than a few generations prior, had been living to like 900 years old. Why the sudden shift in perspective? Was a new calendar being used? Unfortunately, we are never told, and are left to guess for ourselves.
We are told that when Abraham died, his two eldest sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried him. I do not dispute that this is possible. It is likely, though, Ishmael is deserving of some respect for the way he acted towards a father that abandoned him. The point I raise is how these two could interact so well, when their descendants, the Arabs and the Jews, get along so poorly.
The biggest piece of contention in this chapter is Isaac's pleading with God for a child. Abraham had gone through the same struggle.
God's many covenants with Abraham and with his offspring were that their seeds should be extremely numerous. Why would God not make the wombs that the seeds would impregnate as plentiful? Surely God wanted Abraham, and later Isaac, to bear children. Why make it so difficult? This possibly shows a God who wants to be pleaded with for his own feelings of superiority.
And the last thing I would mention is the further use of pseudo-deception for gain. Jacob, not being the elder, was not entitled to the birthright. Esau, near death and in need of food, agreed with Jacob to sell him his birthright for some food.
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