his story his contributions to judaism. the land god torah the people the land canaan – “to your...
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His StoryHis Contributions to Judaism
God
Torah
The People
The Land
Canaan – “To your offspring I will give this land” – Genesis 12:7
This comes later – with Moses, when he receives the 10 commandments
All of the descendents of Abraham (through the line of Isaac)
CovenantMarks the beginning of a special relationship
Changes Abram to Abraham to indicate this shift in the relationship Abraham means “ancestor of a multitude”
There are privileges, but also responsibilities with the covenantUpside and downside of being chosen…
The Egypt EpisodeForeshadows the Exodus (plagues)
PharoahWhy does Abram lie about his relationship to
Sarai?
Abraham’s Covenant“Go from your country and your kindred and
your father’s house to the land (Canaan) that I will show you. And I will make of 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 him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves.”
CircumcisionThe Hebrew word for “making” a
covenant is literally to “cut” a covenant.“Every male among you shall be
circumcised. You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. Throughout your generations every male among you shall be circumcised when he is eight days old.” – Genesis 17:10
“So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant.” – Genesis 17:13
Sarai“The LORD has prevented me from bearing
children. Go into my slave-girl (Hagar); it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” (Genesis 16:2)
Hagar “looked with contempt upon her mistress” and so “Sarai dealt harshly with her” after Abram refused to get involved.
HagarRan away to a spring of waterGod’s angel tells her, “I will so greatly multiply
your offspring that they cannot be counted for multitude….you shall call him Ishmael…He shall be a wild ass of a man, with his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him; and he shall live at odds with all his kin” (Genesis 16: 10-12).
“As for Ishmael, I have heard you; I will bless him and make him fruitful and exceedingly numerous…but my covenant I will establish with Isaac” (Genesis 17:20-21).
Landscape with Hagar and the Angel, 1646Claude Lorrain, 1604/05-1682Canvas, 52 x 42 cmThe National Gallery, London
NamesAbraham = ancestor of manySarah = princessIshmael = God hearsIsaac = he laughs
Abraham and the Three Angels, 1646
Rembrandt, 1606-1669Panel, 16.5 x 21.5 cmPrivate collection, United States of America
Abraham Banishing Hagar and Ishmael, 1658
Guercino, 1591-1666Canvas, 115 x 154 cmPinacoteca di Brera, Milan
The Banishment of Hagar, 1666
Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, 1621-1674Canvas, 54.5 x 68.5 cmNorth Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh
Zamzam Well – Mecca
•Located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest place in Islam. •The miraculously generated source of water from God, which began when Ishmael was thirsty and kept crying for water.
The Sacrifice of Abraham, 1603
Caravaggio, 1573-1610Canvas, 104 x 135 cmGalleria degli Uffizi, Florence
Abraham and LotLets Lot choose
which land to herdCanaan is the land
of the chosen peopleHospitality 18:2-5Obedience“Sacrifice” of child
to God when asked
Lot chooses the “well watered, garden” area
Sodom is “wicked”
Lesser hospitality 19:3
Willful sacrifice of daughters to people, unsolicited 19:8
Lot’s Wife
Lot and his Daughters, first half 16th centuryAnonymous (Antwerp?)Panel 48 x 34 cmMusee du Louvre, Paris
Genesis 25: 19-34, 27Isaac married Rebekah (baren)
Continuation of the theme that a barren woman will have a child who becomes important (Sarah->Isaac)
God - two nations (twins) wrestling in the wombOne stronger, elder will serve the younger
Esau & Jacob = supplant; to supersede by trickery
Isaac Blessing Jacob, 1638
Govert Flinck, 1615-1660Canvas, 117 x 141 cmRijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Jacob’s Dream, 1639Jusepe de Ribera, 1591-1652Canvas, 179 x 233 cmMuseo National del Prado, Madrid
Genesis 28Transfer of blessing from Isaac to Jacob
Similar promise to Abraham after split with Lot
Stairway to heaven = distance from the Jacob he IS to the Jacob he will BECOME
Bethel = House of God
The Meeting of Jacob, Rachel and Leah, 1514-1517
Raphael, 1483-1520FrescoLoggia, Palazzi Pontifici, Vatican, Rome
Genesis 30:25 – Genesis 31Return to trickery (both Jacob and Rachel)
What’s up with that cattle?
Genesis 32-33Jacob’s wrestle with God
Finally getting to the top of the ladderChanges name from Jacob to Israel = He who
wrestles with God
We’ll come back to this.
Genesis 34Rape of DinahViolation of sexual honor
Similar to Ham/Noah; Abram/SaraiTrickery
Similar to the blessings of both Isaac and Abraham
Avenging family name