Genesis 42-50

READING NEXT WEEK

Exodus 1-6

INTERPRETATION OF THE STORY OF JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHERS

to enact vengeance upon his brothers 

to fulfill his earlier dreams

to test his brothers

Rabbi Annie Tucker, Widstoe Foundation Podcast

JUDAH

“He doesn't say, "Oh, the little kleptomaniac, let him stay. Good riddance, we finally got rid of Rachel's other son." He really pleads for him, and I think Judah in that plea has echoes of the Savior pleading for all of us, because he knows the distress of his father if we don't return. And so, ‘Take me, I will take the consequences and let them go free.’

I love that principle of, ‘How shall I go up to the father and the lad not be with me? How can I return without him?’

We might not say that Judah’s a similitude of Christ here or a foreshadowing or a type of Him. But we would say Judah had an understanding of the heart of Christ. I can hear the Savior say, ‘Do you understand me now, Judah? Do you understand my heart? Because your heart is with my heart in this thing. Concern for a father who loves his children and the willingness to pay whatever price is necessary in order that the lad be with me.’”

Michael Wilcox, Follow Him Podcast

JUDAH

“Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you.

You are a lion’s cub, Judah, you return from the prey, my son.

Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares rouse him?

The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.

He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch, and he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.

His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.”

NIV Genesis 49:9-12

EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH

Joshua, Moses’ successor as leader of the Jewish people, is from the tribe of Ephraim. It is Joshua, a brave and resolute warrior, who leads Israel to successfully conquer and settle Canaan. Another military leader, Gideon, whose story is recorded in the Book of Judges, hails from the Tribe of Manasseh. Gideon proves to be a man of faith as he destroys the symbols of Midianite worship to foreign gods and then declines the popular call to lead the people as their king, reminding them that only God is their ruler. Ephraim and Manasseh produce two of Israel’s greatest leaders. When we use their names to bless our children, we express our hope that our children, too, will demonstrate leadership among the Jewish people.

As you can see, there’s more to Ephraim and Manasseh than first meets the eye. Their names have come to be associated not only with a formative period of our history, but also with core Jewish values. It is my hope that when Jewish parents bless their sons for 'God to make you like Ephraim and Manasseh,’ they will do so mindful of the values we have associated with these two otherwise common Israelites. Most of us, after all, are more like Ephraim and Manasseh than, say, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob or Moses. We are simply Jews. If nothing else, though, Ephraim and Manasseh remind us that even ordinary Jews stand for things that are quite extraordinary.

https://rabbiaronson.com/2015/01/02/why-bless-our-sons-as-ephraim-and-manasseh/

GENESIS

“Genesis speaks of beginnings—of the heavens and the earth, of light and darkness, of seas and skies, of land and vegetation, of sun and moon and stars, of sea and air and land animals, of human beings (made in God’s own image, the climax of his creative activity), of marriage and family, of society and civilization, of sin and redemption. The list could go on and on.

The book of Genesis is foundational to the understanding of the rest of the Bible. Its message is rich and complex. It is supremely a book that speaks about relationships, highlighting those between God and his creation, between God and humankind, and between human beings. It is thoroughly monotheistic, taking for granted that there is only one God worthy of the name and opposing the ideas that there are many gods (polytheism), that there is no god at all (atheism) and that everything is divine (pantheism). It clearly teaches that the one true God is sovereign over all that exists (i.e., his entire creation), and that he often exercises his unlimited freedom to overturn human customs, traditions and plans. It introduces us to the way in which God initiates and makes covenants with his chosen people, pledging his love and faithfulness to them and calling them to promise theirs to him. It establishes sacrifice as the substitution of life for life. It gives us the first hint of God’s provision for redemption from the forces of evil and contains the oldest and most profound statement concerning the significance of faith (15:6).”

Various Authors. Zondervan NIV Study Bible: Updated Edition (Kindle Locations 2191-2203). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Genesis 37-41

NEXT WEEK READING 

Genesis 42-50

THE MOTHERS OF ISRAEL

“After his wrestle with the angel, Jacob took on the name he is most associated with today, Israel, or ‘he strives with God.’ The very name of the chosen, peculiar people, meant following God will result not only in a struggle with God, but in a struggle with the people and the cultures that surround us. The stories of Jacob, Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah, are among the most morally complicated found in the entire scriptural canon. Yet there is comfort in knowing these remarkable people wrestled with God and the world they lived in. They emerge not as flat archetypes of good or evil, but as complex men and women who wrestled with loneliness, jealousy, feelings of inadequacy, inequality or transgression. An account of their lives should bring comfort to the modern Saints in their striving with God and the world. ‘Be kind with human frailty—your own as well as that of those who serve with you.’ Elder Jeffery R. Holland counseled. ‘Except in the case of his only Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to deal with.’ The wrestle is one that ultimately comes to us all, but the same God who guided the family of Israel gently and surely guides the same family today, eons later, in their own wrestles.”

Casey Paul Griffiths, Sperry Symposium 2021

DINAH

“The brothers’ act and the storyteller’s ‘they defiled’ both underscore the same message: the city is liable for the actions of its rulers. For ancient audiences, this was nothing new. Wars were always fought because rulers offended one another or their gods. Moreover, if the brothers had killed only Hamor and Shechem, the townspeople would have been obligated to avenge their death by attacking Israel. The brothers’ raid must be a full-scale punitive war, in which they take for themselves all the wealth of Shechem.”

Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. Reading the Women of the Bible (p. 195). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

DINAH

“The story of Dinah and Shechem highlights the dilemma of any small group trying to survive. If it is militant, it courts destruction. But if its boundaries are too permeable, it might be loved to death. The distinctiveness of Israel was and is placed at risk every time it comes into close amicable contact with other peoples. But the price of isolation may be eternal enmity and warfare, a price contrary to Israel’s own self-understanding as a nation of peace. Should Israel welcome those of her neighbors in the land who wished to be absorbed, like Gibeonites in the period of the conquest and like Samaritans in the Assyrian period? And during those periods in which Israel had military strength—under David and Solomon and later under the Hasmoneans—should conquered nations become part of the people of Israel? And should they be formally converted? After the biblical period, the Dinah story continued to be the means by which these discussions took place, and the story was retold often in Hellenistic literature with different variations and permutations. The questions of boundary protection and boundary definition preoccupy Israel throughout its existence. Like the family of Jacob, Israel dwells apart. This national dilemma plays itself out on a national scene when kingdoms confront one another in war and peace. But it is also ever present on a personal level, whenever a girl goes out to visit the daughters of the land.”

Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. Reading the Women of the Bible (pp. 197-198). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

COVENANT RELATIONSHIP

“The foremost reason we should learn about the covenant is because of the bond it forges between us and God. Covenants have always been about creating relationships. Clearly everyone is a child of God, but the choice to be part of a covenant enhances and changes that relationship. Even for those in the covenant, the relationship is defined by whether or not they keep the covenant. Yet there is a difference between those who have made a covenant and are not keeping it and those who have not made the covenant, even if people in those two categories are behaving in the same way. You see, once we make a covenant with God, we have left neutral ground forever. God will not abandon His relationship with those who have forged such a bond with Him. In fact, all those who have made a covenant with God have access to a special kind of love and mercy. In Hebrew this covenantal love is called hesed.

Hesed has a rich and full meaning. At its core, hesed indicates a special kind of love and mercy that is only available to those in a covenant relationship. Because God has hesed for those who have covenanted with Him, He will love them in such a way that, no matter what, He will continue to work with them and offer them chances to change and return to Him when they stray.”

Muhlestein, Kerry. God Will Prevail: Ancient Covenants, Modern Blessings, and the Gathering of Israel (pp. 11-12). Covenant Communications, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

HESED

“One study of hesed, done by Hebraist Gordon R. Clark, defines the word thus: ‘[Hesed] is not merely an attitude or an emotion; it is an emotion that leads to an activity beneficial to the recipient.’ Clark continued to say that hesed ‘may be described as a beneficent action performed, in the context of a deep and enduring commitment between two persons or parties, by one who is able to render assistance to the needy party who in the circumstances is unable to help him-or herself.’ As beautiful as this is, the description of how hesed relates to God is even more powerful. After an extensive study of how the word is used in the Old Testament, Clark says that hesed ‘is characteristic of God rather than human beings; it is rooted in the divine nature, and it is expressed because of who he is, not because of what humanity is or needs or desires or deserves.’ Further, God’s ‘tenacious commitment to Israel even in the face of their blatant and persistent rebellion demonstrates that [hesed] is an enduring quality of God.’”

Muhlestein, Kerry. God Will Prevail: Ancient Covenants, Modern Blessings, and the Gathering of Israel (pp. 11-12). Covenant Communications, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

LEVIRATE LAW

“Neither of her husbands had been pleasant; in fact, they had been horrid. Er had been a wicked man, and she wasn’t even sure how he died. The villagers simply said that God killed him for his wickedness (Genesis 38:7). Her second husband hadn’t been any better. After Er died, her father-in-law, Judah, had given her in marriage to Er’s younger brother, Onan, to raise posterity for Er. In those days, ‘widows without children were protected by levirate marriage, which required that a childless widow marry one of her deceased husband’s brothers in order to continue the family line of her dead husband and pass on his land inheritance, or nahala. This was seen as a widow’s right, and perhaps the only chance a woman would have for security after the death of her husband.’ This was called the ‘levirate law.’ A levir acted ‘as his brother’s surrogate and incest taboos [were] suspended’ for this particular situation. Leviracy provided posterity for the deceased brother, as well as the comfort and protection of motherhood for the surviving widow.

Skousen, Jo Ann. Matriarchs of the Messiah: Valiant Women in the Lineage of Jesus Christ . Cedar Fort, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

TAMAR

“The details of the story of Judah and Tamar reveal that this was not an act of incest or licentious behavior at all. Tamar knew that law and custom were on her side. Through her clever plotting, she maneuvered Judah into keeping an important promise while she also prevented him from committing a grave sin. She was an ezer kenegdo.”

Skousen, Jo Ann. Matriarchs of the Messiah: Valiant Women in the Lineage of Jesus Christ . Cedar Fort, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

COVENANT MARRIAGE

"The Mosaic Covenant later forbade intermarriage between the people of Israel and the people of Canaan in order to avoid idolatry. But Joseph lived before the law was given, he was not marrying a Canaanite, and he did not fall into idolatry. God used Joseph’s marriage to the daughter of the priest of On to accomplish His will and provide for His people, the family of Jacob.”

. biblecentral.org

DIVINE PROVIDENCE

“All parties in these stories are allowed the exercise of free choice to follow their course, ignorant that all the while they were only contributing their share towards the fulfillment of God’s purpose. And in this lies the mystery of divine providence. It always worketh wonders, yet without seeming to work at all. Sometimes it escapes our observation, silently and unobserved by those who live and act. It pursues its course till in the end all things are seen to work together for the glory of God and for good to them that love God, that are called according to his purpose.”

Alfred Edersheim, as quoted on Don’t Miss This Podcast

ANTIFRAGILE

“Some things benefit from shocks; they thrive and grow when exposed to volatility, randomness, disorder, stressors and love adventure, risk, and uncertainty. Yet, in spite of the ubiquity of the phenomenon, there is no word for the exact opposite of fragile. Let us call it antifragile.

Antifragility is beyond resilience or robustness. The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better. This property is behind everything that has changed with time.”

Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Antifragile

ANTIFRAGILE

"Nassim Taleb explains how systems and people can survive the inevitable difficulties of life. And like the immune system, grow stronger in response. So he's talking about the introduction of a problem, but like our immune system, we can respond in ways that can actually strengthen us. Recognize that some things are antifragile.

He talks about china, which is made to be fragile. If you drop it on a hard surface, it's going to break. And other things are made to be more resilient, like plastic. So if you drop it on a hard surface, it probably won't break. It's not great for the structural integrity of the plastic to be dropped on hard surfaces, but it's designed to resist breaking. And it probably won't. If you do it enough, it might, but . definitely made differently from china or glass.

And then he says, ‘There are some things that are made to be antifragile.’ Which, as he says, ‘Means that they require stresses and challenges in order to learn, adapt, and grow.’ He says, ‘There are three examples here of things that are antifragile. They are created to optimize under stress.’ That's his point, that they don't fully optimize unless they are stressed. Muscle, he mentions, use it or lose it with muscle. If you don't use your muscles, they atrophy. Bone, and as we get older, they keep telling us, ‘You need to do weight-bearing exercise.’ Walk and jog, putting some stress on those bones so that they can maintain their strength. His third example, muscle, bone, children. Now, that's a powerful thought. I love that thought. And really, it's not just children. It's the human creature. The child of God is made antifragile. We are created to grow under stress. And we don't optimize, if we're not stressed. We just don't. We become weak.”

Dr. Lili Anderson, Follow Him Podcast

Genesis 24-27

NEXT WEEK SPRING BREAK—NO CLASS

READING FOR MARCH 15

Genesis 37-41

LINK TO ALTERNATIVE TRANSLATIONS

The following links may be helpful in your study of the Old Testament. Thank you, Kim, for sharing.

https://www.biblestudytools.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

ISAAC

“The second series of patriarchal narratives, that relating to Isaac, now begins. The data about him are exceedingly sparse. Much of what is preserved—his birth and circumcision, the Akedah, and his marriage—is integrated into the biography of Abraham, while other episodes belong to the large collection of traditions regarding Jacob. Nothing is recorded of the first twenty years of Isaac’s marriage. Only a few isolated events in his life are preserved in the literature, where he is eclipsed by the towering figure of his father Abraham and overshadowed by the dynamic, forceful personality of his son Jacob.

Yet Isaac is more than a mere transition between Abraham and Jacob, and the biblical account does contain unmistakable elements of individuality. Isaac’s name, uniquely bestowed by God, is not changed; his pastoral wanderings are restricted to a narrow range and largely center around Beersheba; unlike Abraham, he does not live at Hebron-Kiriat-arba but settles there only in his old age; he alone remains monogamous; he is the only patriarch to engage in agriculture and the only one never to leave the promised land; finally, the unique divine name paḥad yitsḥak (31:42 [literally “the Fear of Isaac”]) suggests some episode, not recorded, in which this particular name would have been meaningful. References in Amos 7:9, 16 to “the shrines of Isaac” and to “the house of Isaac” as an epithet for Israel seem to indicate that a more extensive account of his life once existed.”

Nahum M. Sarna, Scripture Plus, Commentary on Chapter 25

RIVKA OR REBEKAH

“The servant asks for a serendipitous “happenstance,” that the right girl would chance to come his way that very evening. He wants the hand of Providence to be clear, and asks for a sign. The sign is not random: it will also show that the girl has a willing heart. Abraham has described the characteristics of an ideal woman for his son: she must be from the homeland and be willing to come. The servant wants more: she must be hospitable and strong. The sign that she is truly the destined one is that she not only agrees to give him drink but volunteers to water his camels too. Like the mighty wife of Proverbs 31, she must be both caring and industrious. Moreover, as everyone knows, “A good wife comes from God” (Prov 19:14).”

Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. Reading the Women of the Bible (p. 8). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

THE SERVANT’S PRAYER OF GRATITUDE

“And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”

KJV Bible, Genesis 24:26

“Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, saying, Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, The lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”

NIV Bible, Genesis 24:26

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the way to the house of my master’s kin.”

The Oxford Bible, Genesis 24:26

THE SERVANT

“From the viewpoint the servant this story was fraught with all kinds of issues—difficulty, problematic characters, negotiations, chances for failure, but what maintained this servant was his confidence in the steadfast faithfulness of the God of Abraham. He knew that God was in the world and that God would work through him in that moment and that was the thing that would make all the difference.”

BYU Maxwell Abide Podcast

REBEKAH

“Not knowing either Abraham or Isaac, whose name is not even mentioned, she declares her willingness to go. At that moment, it becomes clear that Rivka is the counterpart to both Abraham and Sarah. Like Sarah, she is the instrument of the promise, the agent through whom Isaac will become the father of a nation. She is also a second Abraham, who, like him, voluntarily chooses to leave Mesopotamia for Canaan. Her “I will go” echoes God’s command to Abraham to “Go!” in Gen. 12:1. The voyage from Mesopotamia to Israel was the one qualification that Abraham sought in a daughter-in-law, and her willingness to do so establishes her credentials.”

Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. Reading the Women of the Bible (pp. 13-14). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

REBEKAH

“As soon as Isaac enters the scene, she veils herself. Veiling may have been required. The Assyrian laws require married women to be veiled. The fact that Jacob marries Leah thinking she is Rachel seems to indicate that such a custom also applied to betrothed women. But the veiling is also symbolic: all of Rivka’s attributes, not only her beauty, will be less visible as a wife. In marriage, women, even the active Rivka, become the object of action: Isaac takes her. But her qualities do not remain hidden to him, for he loves her. She not only takes Sarah’s place in the tent, she takes her place in his heart. The biblical ideal of marriage may consider the husband the dominant partner, but it nevertheless envisions a love relationship. Modern commentators assume a mismatch between a strong Rivka and a passive Isaac, but the story tells us that he loved her.”

Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. Reading the Women of the Bible (pp. 13-14). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

THE BIRTHRIGHT BLESSING

“Questions and conjecture accompany the biblical account of Jacob’s receiving Isaac’s birthright blessing. Because details and explanations are absent, it is easy to make accusations of deception and manipulation.

At the time of the blessing, Isaac was nearly incapacitated, described as ‘old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see.’ He was unable to distinguish his sons from each other and considered his mortal life nearly at its end. Yet, at the beginning of the next chapter, Isaac is portrayed as alert, with no difficulty recognizing his second son, and capable of delivering lengthy counsel for Jacob’s imminent journey. The two settings invite a possibility that the chapters are not presented in chronological order. Perhaps Isaac pronounced the birthright blessing years later, or else he died shortly after blessing his sons rather than when his death is reported several decades later. The fact that Isaac is mentioned only indirectly after he blessed his sons provides no additional clues to correct this seeming inconsistency.”

Camille Fronk Olsen, Women of the Old Testament, pg. 60

 THE BIRTHRIGHT BLESSING

“Rivka knows that once uttered, a curse cannot be easily removed, but it can be deflected, and Rivka offers to take the consequences of the curse upon herself. She is the first woman to do so, but not the last. Women who ask men to do something need to allay the fears of those men; both Abigail and the Wise Woman of Tekoa will offer to take upon themselves the consequences of the acts that they ask David to do. This is a very persuasive technique, and it works. Jacob puts on the goat skins and goes to trick his father into giving him the blessing he plans for Esau.”

Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. Reading the Women of the Bible (pp. 18-19). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

THE BIRTHRIGHT BLESSING

“The deception of the blind elderly Isaac is a bizarre episode, verging on both the tragic and the burlesque. It rests on a premise alien to contemporary thinking, that a blessing unwittingly bestowed is still a blessing. And it assumes that trickery is not automatically immoral. Many heroes of the Bible, including Moses and David, use trickery when frontal assaults will not work, and the Jacob cycle has quite a few trickster stories. Isaac himself is a trickster, having tried the wife-sister trick on Abimelech. Jacob takes Isaac’s place in the next generation, as well as Rivka’s, being both a trickster and bearer of the promise. Rivka will use whatever means are in the tool kit of those without authority to make decisions. The story never tells us that Rivka must use deception because she is powerless, and later readers have often accused her of improper and immoral behavior. But the biblical world valued cunning in the underdog. Only the powerful value honesty at all costs. The powerless know that trickery may save their lives.”

Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. Reading the Women of the Bible (pp. 18-19). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

REBEKAH

“Early interpreters, both Jewish and Christian, praised Rivka, as did medieval and reformation writers. The censure did not begin until the end of the nineteenth century, when male biblical scholars began to condemn her as a Lady Macbeth. The pendulum is beginning to swing again as we learn more about how the disadvantaged make their way in the world and how women negotiate through patriarchy. To some contemporary eyes, the ingenuity and cunning of Rivka’s plan is itself a mark of divine guidance and her role as divine helper.”

Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. Reading the Women of the Bible (pp. 18-19). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

REBEKAH

“Esau had sold the prerogatives of firstborn to Jacob, but despite the arrangement that they once had made, Isaac’s blessing in anticipation of death can determine their future relationship. Rivka knows that Isaac has always favored Esau the hunter and wants to give him the blessing. If she is going to ensure that the omen of Jacob’s destiny will be fulfilled, she must act. Her motives may be pure, to carry out God’s will. She may also be influenced by the fact that she favors the more domestic Jacob. She may believe that he is more likely to care for her in her old age. Motives are rarely unmixed. Moreover, even people who operate purely from selfish reasons may unwittingly be carrying out God’s plan, like the brothers who sell Joseph into Egypt or Potiphar’s wife, who gets him into the dungeon where he can come to the attention of Pharaoh. Actions have consequences whatever their motives. And whether or not Rivka is thinking of the oracle at this particular moment, the oracle has shown her and the reader what God’s plan is. Isaac must bless Jacob. Only he has the right to bestow the blessing. Rivka knows that he has made his decision and she will not be able to persuade Isaac to change his mind.”

Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. Reading the Women of the Bible (pp. 18-19). Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

REBEKAH

“Without denigrating Isaac’s authority and pure heart, Rebekah’s leadership in orchestrating the birthright blessing is undeniable. As soon as she heard Isaac’s instruction to Esau to ‘make ms savory meat...that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die,’ Rebekah sprang into action.

All women have similar opportunities to open up a way that allows God’s will to be made known. ‘Women are appointed to be Rebekahlike, to be guides and lights in righteousness in the family unit.’ Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught, ‘and to engineer and arrange so that things are done in the way that will result in the salvation of more our Father’s children.’

Rebekah’s confidence in pursuing her plan must stem in part from the revelation she received before her sons were born. She knew that God had chosen her younger son to receive the birthright.”

Camille Fronk Olsen, Women of the Old Testament, pg. 60

REBEKAH

“If Abraham was to be the “father of many nations,” how important was Isaac’s wife, Rebekah? She was so important that he sent his servant hundreds of miles to find the right young woman—one who would keep her covenants, one who understood what it meant to form an eternal family.

The story of Isaac and Rebekah is an example of the man, who has the keys, and the woman, who has the influence, working together to ensure the fulfillment of their blessings. Their story is pivotal. The blessings of the house of Israel depended on a man and a woman who understood their place in the plan and their responsibilities to form an eternal family, to bear children, and to teach them.”

Julie B. Beck, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2011/03/teaching-the-doctrine-of-the- family?lang=eng

Genesis 18-23

NEXT WEEK

Genesis 24-27

ABRAHAM’S HOSPITALITY

“Hospitality is really important in traditional Middle Eastern cultures. And by traditional I mean, not the Babylonians, but the Bedouins, [who] in some ways are the oldest form of Middle Eastern culture. Even today one of the greetings that you have in Arabic when people come means ‘welcome to my house, you've come to family and this is a good place to camp. You should spend the night here.’

Hugh Nibley retells the story of Abraham in the desert from a Jewish apocryphal source. He [recounts] how Abraham is not only welcoming to the guest, he's out there, it's a terrible burning hot day, dusty, the wind blowing horrible. And he is looking for stragglers in the desert. He says, I will not eat until I've helped some poor soul out here in the desert. According to that Jewish apocrypha, that's when the three travelers come and he's given the gift of his son and so on. It's not just an arbitrary thing according to that story. It's rewarding Abraham for his faithfulness and his hospitality, his sheer goodness.”

Dr. Daniel Peterson, Follow Him Podcast

COUNSELING WITH GOD

“Throughout the whole Old Testament we read of constant failure, constant promises being not fully realized by the people that received the promise. Logic contributed to this question of how we interact with a God who promises us wonderful things, but lets us suffer so much. This idea of arguing with God, which is a richly Jewish idea, is a main component of honest and real relationship with the being of creation.

Abraham stood boldly before the Lord and inquired [about His intentions] to destroy the righteous with the wicked. This is especially significant to Hebrews who understand the majesty and terror of God. He remains there until God agrees that he won’t destroy the city if there are 10 righteous among them.”

Aaron Gorner, BYU Maxwell Institute, Abide Podcast

COUNSELING WITH GOD

“When we have real honest conversations with God, when we confront God with the suffering, with the reality of the situation that we have endured and how we feel towards Him, it allows us to develop a discipleship based on real connection. When we have access to a real connection we have access to God’s true nature. That’s why this (confronting God) is such a rich idea and so important because they have suffered so much they have fostered this type of discipleship that can be based on truth.”

Aaron Gorner, BYU Maxwell Institute, Abide Podcast

The following quotes by Valerie Hudson are taken from an hour long address given at the Fair Latter-day Saints Conference. She also has a longer article on this topic which can be found at Square Two Journal. We barley scratched the surface. I encourage you to read the entire article for a full understanding.

 ABRAHAMIC SACRIFICE

“Now, what is an Abrahamic Sacrifice? Let’s make sure that we understand that. Sacrifice is one of the first principles of a gospel — we know that, and we know that there are various forms of sacrifice. For example, we might say that we are sacrificing to send a child on a mission. That sacrifice is by our own choice, and we know that the goal is one that we desire.

Another type of sacrifice might be to accept the consequences of doing the right thing. We might be ostracized or oppressed because our belief and behavior by those who believe otherwise towards us is unpleasant. However, it’s our choice and we are very much desirous of that goal.

A third type of sacrifice appears from our mortal perspective maybe not to involve agency, though I believe some agency was involved. These are sacrifices of adversity, for example, where an innocent child is born with an imperfect body, or accidents or illness take the health or life of persons. We don’t think of those as conscious mortal choices, but some of us believe that they were pre-mortal conscious choices about some of these things.

But the heaviest sacrifice a person can ever be called upon to make — the Abrahamic sacrifice is slightly different from these other three. In the Abrahamic sacrifice, we are asked by God to make a conscious choice in a situation where what he requires of us cannot be regarded as a desired goal from all that we know about God’s laws."

A Reconciliation of Polygamy, V. H. Cassler, https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/conference/august-2011/a- reconciliation-of-polygamy

ABRAHAMIC SACRIFICE

“The Lord has apparently chosen to explain his reasoning and reveal his mind on polygamy in terms of a specific analogy between two situations that occurred to one man, Abraham. The Lord’s subsequent explanation of polygamy centers around an analogy the Lord himself posits between his commandment to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac and his commandment to Abraham to marry Hagar polygamously.

Now, given the importance of his children having a correct understanding of their Father’s mind on this topic, we cannot believe that this analogy was chosen capriciously. This is not an arbitrary analogy being made, and since it is the only analogy being made, we must pay attention to it and try to understand why that analogy was chosen.

The first and most telling point to note about the analogy is that the story of Isaac is a story of sacrifice. The Lord is telling us that the term “Abrahamic sacrifice” refers not only to the story of Isaac but applies to the story of Hagar as well.

Before the Lord even delves into the analogy, his very positing of an analogy between the Isaac situation and the Hagar situation is revealing. Of all the possible analogies of sacrifice that God has commanded in the history of the world (sacrifice of animals under the Mosaic law; sacrifice of possessions under the law of consecration; sacrifice of home and country as the early saints did in crossing the plains; sacrifice of your own life as Joseph Smith and others have done), God chooses the most wrenching sacrifice he has ever commanded to serve as the analogy wherewith to instruct us concerning polygamy — the sacrifice of one’s own innocent child by one’s own hand. This choice of analogy by the Lord is meant to reveal to us that in the Lord’s eyes the Hagar situation is no light matter or run-of- the-mill sacrifice but rather is like unto the heaviest and most heart-wrenching of all sacrifices God has ever required of man.

In positing this analogy then we get a parallel, and that parallel is being commanded to kill your innocent son is analogist to being commanded to marry polygamously. Why, because murder is as grievous as sin as adultery and vice versa.”

A Reconciliation of Polygamy, V. H. Cassler, https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/conference/august-2011/a-reconciliation-of-polygamy

ABRAHAMIC SACRIFICE

“An Abrahamic sacrifice involves at least three elements that are to be found in the story of Abraham being commanded to sacrifice Isaac: 1. God makes plain to Abraham a law, “thou shalt not kill;” 2. God then requires Abraham, an innocent and righteous man, to depart from that law, sacrifice Isaac, an innocent child, and the choice to depart therefrom would seem to erase any joy in Abraham’s life, because the true happiness is to be found under the law — don’t kill Isaac; and 3. God provides a means of escape from the departure from the law — an angel is sent to stay the hand of Abraham, and the ram in the thicket is provided by the Lord, which allows renewed joy from being able to live under the law — don’t kill Isaac — once more.”

A Reconciliation of Polygamy, V. H. Cassler, https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/conference/august-2011/a-reconciliation-of-polygamy

ABRAHAMIC SACRIFICE

“Being happy about the commandment to practice an Abrahamic sacrifice does not seem to factor into the counting of one’s obedience as righteousness. After all, a sacrifice remains a sacrifice despite the paradoxical joy experienced. We know this principle from many situations. “Murmuring” against the law is not acceptable, but crying out to the Lord in innocent anguish — anguish felt as a result of obeying God’s commands — is not condemned.

We know this because Christ himself cried out in pain and anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. And he cried out in pain and anguish on the cross at Calvary. He initially felt to shrink from drinking the bitter cup. He even asked Heavenly Father why he had forsaken him.

Christ was making a sacrifice not justified under the law. His death was a departure from the divine law. If Christ himself was not thought less of by God for expressing suffering caused by a departure from divine law, why would God require mere mortals to be stoic when suffering pain caused by righteous obedience to a commandment to depart from the law? The answer is that he does not. When Abraham was asked to make a sacrifice not justified under the law, his heart mourned and we do not think less of him for it. We know God loved Abraham with great intensity. In truth, if God wept with Christ in Gethsemane in Calvary, if he wept with Abraham on the road to Mount Moriah, did he not also weep when Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, and other righteous polygamous wives and husbands wept? The Lord’s own analogy leads us to believe that he did.”

A Reconciliation of Polygamy, V. H. Cassler, https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/conference/august-2011/a-reconciliation-of-polygamy

ABRAHAMIC SACRIFICE

“Surely God is not so fragile, so lacking in empathy, that He would take offense at our incredulity or our anger in the face of the world’s wounds. For our pain is already His. As a theologian who lost his own son wrote, “Through our tears, we see the tears of God.” And believing, as Mormons do, that God is the infinitely suffering God of Enoch, not the “impassive, unresponsive” God “portrayed by the classical theologians,” this writer added a poignant possibility: “It is said of God that no one can behold His face and live. I always thought this meant that no one could behold His splendor and live. . . . Perhaps it meant that no one could see His sorrow and live.”

Givens, Terryl; Givens, Fiona. The Crucible of Doubt

ABRAHAMIC SACRIFICE

“By offering to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham regains Isaac forever. This is a very important element of any Abrahamic sacrifice: it is always eventually brought to an end by God. The lifting of the exceptional commandment comes as a tangible relief to Abraham.

Why does the Lord bring this relief? We can only reiterate that it is because God is not indifferent between a state of sacrifice and a state of relief, and that all other things being equal, he actively prefers eventual relief to perpetual sacrifice for his innocent children.

Lest we mistake this natural Fatherly preference, Christ asks rhetorically, “What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” The great sacrifice to which Abraham’s sacrifice points, the atonement, was also brought to an end by God.

His sacrifice ended. We sing of Christ: “Once rejected by his own now their King, he shall be known. Once forsaken, left alone, now exalted to a throne. Once he groaned in blood and tears, now in glory he appears. Once he suffered grief and pain, now he comes on earth to reign. Once upon the cross he bowed, now his chariot is the cloud. Once all things he meekly bore, but he now will bear no more.”

A Reconciliation of Polygamy, V. H. Cassler, https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/conference/august-2011/a-reconciliation-of-polygamy

 

Genesis 12-18; Abraham 1-2

NEXT WEEK

Genesis 18 (second half)-27 

ABRAM

“With God’s calling of Abram out of the post-Babel peoples, the story of God’s ways with humankind shifts focus from the universal history to the history of God’s relationship with a particular person and people. Here begins the history of his saving work, in which human sin is not only judged (the flood) or restrained (Babel) but forgiven (through atonement) and overcome (through purifying human hearts). Throughout the rest of scripture the unfolding of this history remains the golden thread and central theme. Its final outcome is made sure through Jesus Christ, “the son of Abraham” which is the core message of the New Testament.”

NIV Study Bible, pg. 33

RELIGION IN NOMADIC CLANS

“In patriarchal communities, religious practices and beliefs were transmitted through family life rather than through a priest or other religious figure. Marriage and family were considered sacred and foundational in a person’s relationship with God. Children were perceived as gifts, and parents were stewards for God in caring for them.

The patriarch as proxy for God was divinely directed to protect and provide for the clan. Each individual family member had direct access to God, without a need to go through the patriarch.

One could argue that, as keepers of the home in this society, the chief wife of the patriarch enjoyed status and privilege as great as women have ever been afforded in the history of the world.”

Women of the Old Testament, Camille Fronk Olsen, pg 27

ABRAHAM

“In the space of three chapters Abraham has gone to Egypt and back, been blessed with great wealth, settled in the land of Canaan, battled Kings of the region to retrieve Lot and his property, been blessed by Melchizedek of Salem and paid tithes. His wealth has grown, fame has spread and Jehovah’s promises are being fulfilled. But he has no children to inherit either his wealth or his name. And it is not yet clear how God will fulfill the promise to make his offspring as numerous as the dust of the earth . . . yet he trusts the promises of God.”

Christian Hill, Abide, BYU Maxwell Institute Podcast, Genesis 12-17, Abraham 1-2

CUTTING COVENANTS

“From what we know of second millennium BC covenant rituals, it seems clear that Jehovah condescended to cut a covenant with Abram. Instead of a parity treaty or loyalty oath on Abram’s part, God instructed Abram to slaughter three animals and divide them so he could demonstrate the absolute surety of his promises. Evidently, the smoking furnace and burning lamp represented God’s presence, analogous to the cloud and pillar of fire that accompanied Israel later (see Exodus 13:21–22). Thus the implication is that the Lord passed between the divided animals and, in effect, swore an oath that he would lose his own life if he did not give Abram and his seed the land for an inheritance.[31] This idea is supported by Jehovah’s later revelation wherein he confirmed the same promise of land to Isaac, saying, “Unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father” (Genesis 26:3). Since God cannot swear by anything greater than his own life (see Hebrews 6:13), Jehovah’s promise could not have been more sure. Certainly this was an extremely powerful message to Abram, a man who lived in various places in the ancient Near East and who must have been very familiar with covenant-cutting practices.”

Jared T. Parker, https://rsc.byu.edu/gospel-jesus-christ-old-testament/cutting-covenants

THE COVENANT OF GRANT

[This covenant as recorded here in the Bible requires nothing of Abraham.] “It is known as a Covenant of Grant, which the Jewish Study Bible says is a reward for past loyalty. It does not involve any obligation upon the grantee. What we see here and we will see it again throughout the story of Abraham is God’s extravagant generosity towards His children, this desire to bless and to show His love and to give blessings to His children.”

Christian Hill, Abide, BYU Maxwell Institute Podcast, Genesis 12-17, Abraham 1-2 t

THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

“The Abrahamic Covenant comes in a series of three covenantal interactions between God and Abraham, which build upon each other. Through these interactions, three over-arching promises are made by God: (1) Abraham would be given land; (2) from him would come a great nation; and (3) through God’s blessing of Abraham and his descendants the whole world would be blessed.

Key aspects of this covenant are its unconditional elements, its universal benefit, and its everlasting nature. The promises that God gave to Abraham do not require any righteous actions on Abraham’s part and are therefore considered unconditional in nature. God bears the responsibility of the covenant fulfillment by participating in a self-maledictory covenantal ceremony (stipulating symbolically that He Himself will bear the consequences should the covenant be broken by any party). God does, however, call Abraham to live in loyalty and faithfulness with Him in response to divine grace.”

NIV Study Bible, pg. 34

THE CHARACTER OF GOD

“ALL OF SALVATION IS ULTIMATELY THIS GRAND GESTURE OF EXTRAVAGANT GRACE. At the center of this is having this trust and faith in the person of God, in God’s faithfulness, in God’s commitment to fulfilling his covenants. The great revelation here as we read the Old Testament is the revelation of the character of God.”

Christian Hill, Abide, BYU Maxwell Institute Podcast, Genesis 12-17, Abraham 1-2 t

SARAH AND HAGAR

“Sarah and Hagar came from dramatically different backgrounds and divergent social classes. Yet they shared a moment in history that established God’s covenant as a means to bless the world but not without a variety of interpretations and concerns.

The simple fact that two women seemingly in competition for the same blessing from opposing angles appear in the same story is enough to invite serious debate and unfair comparisons. A common argument contends that because Sarah and Hagar disagreed at times and were dissimilar in many ways, they were the complete opposite of each other. Therefore, the argument concludes that one of them was righteous and loved by God, whereas the other made bad choices and was spiritually rejected. Because Hagar was an integral part of the family for less time than Sarah and bore a son who was not foreordained to be the covenant leader, the temptation is to paint her as the nemesis, the intruder, the foreigner to faith. The biblical text, however, does not allow such an interpretation.”

Women of the Old Testament, Camille Fronk Olsen, pg 29

SARAH AND HAGAR

“In scriptural text, Hagar is referred to as a ‘concubine’. With none of the immoral overtones inherent in the label today, a concubine in the ancient Near East was a legal wife who was elevated from servant status by her marriage. Her increased status did not, however, equal that of the chief wife, who was always a free woman. Although the legitimate wife to her husband, a concubine remained a servant to her mistress, who could discipline or sell her at will. Receiving free status and giving birth often added confusion to her status in the family and threatened to reverse her importance with that of the chief wife. The ancient Babylonian law rescinded freedom and status should a concubine assume equality with her mistress.

Sarai’s remorse after Hagar became pregnant may have been out of fear that Hagar would supplant her as chief wife. Likewise, Hagar’s ‘despising’ of Sarai suggests that Sarai’s importance and status had diminished in Hagar’s eyes. The distinction between authority and possession begins to blur.”

Women of the Old Testament, Camille Fronk Olsen, pg 29

HAGAR

“Their dialogue begins with an almost ritual question: ‘Hagar, slave-woman of Sarai, where are you coming from and to where are you going?’ The angel addresses her by name, for he knows who she is. She answers simply, “From the presence of Sarai my mistress I am fleeing.” It doesn’t matter where she is going: the essential fact is that she is fleeing Sarai. The reader feels the pathos of the oppressed slave, but the angel says, ‘Return to your mistress and be oppressed under her hand.’

Angels usually have threefold messages, and this one does, too. The first part, Return ... and be oppressed; the second part, ‘Greatly will I multiply your seed so that it cannot be counted’; the third, ‘you are pregnant, and you are going to give birth to a son and you will call his name Ishmael (‘God hears’), for God has heard your oppression.'

The second address makes Hagar the only woman to receive a divine promise of seed, not through a man but as her own destiny. And the third statement puts Hagar in the company of those few women— Samson’s mother, Hannah, and Mary in the New Testament, who receive a divine annunciation of the coming birth. And what a birth! Hagar will have a glorious progeny who can never be exploited or subjected—if she voluntarily goes back to be exploited. And so Hagar goes back. Recognizing the divine power, she neither argues nor avoids the request. But before she gives up her autonomy, she exercises it by naming God according to her own experience. God called Hagar by name, the only character in the story to do so, and Hagar responds, naming God El Roi, “God of my seeing,” which can mean both “the God I have seen” and “the God who sees me.”

Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. Reading the Women of the Bible (pp. 230-231).