CPCC Bible Study: Genesis 16 - 18

      Stand by for a change of focus.

      From here in we're looking at larger concepts, individuals, ideas, instead of taking each verse down to single words and going into depth about Ancient Hebrew verb tenses and noun configurations. For instance, this time out we're going to look at Ishmael, and listen to something Sarai said, and keep going until we're check in on the promise of Issac.

      But we'll still start with a different sort of quote that comes up in our discussion:

The angel of the Lord said to her, Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority. Then he added, I will give you more descendants than you can count. And the angel also said, You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means God hears ), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.

Genesis 16 : 1 - 4
      The text repeatedly states that Hagar the Egyptian was a slave of Sarai's, the word used is "shiphchah" (a female servant that is considered part of the family). Remember from when they packed up and began the trip south in Chapter 12, they had a sizable entourage with them, including 'maidservants', see verse 16. But Hagar wasn't part of that group as she was probably acquired in Egypt. We don't know if Abram bought her, or whether she was a gift from Pharaoh.
      Either way, Hagar had no say in the matter and to refuse the order from her mistress could have meant death.
      Also, the implication is that Hagar had been with them for at least ten years, as that is how long it says they were in Canaan when she became Abram's second wife, see the end of verse 3. The word used is "ishshah", it is used to mean an adult woman, but in context it also means "wife" as in Chapter 6 : 18 when God tells Noah to take his wife on the boat ride.
      And Abram listened to his wife, and ....

5 - 6
      Sarai regrets doing it. The word translated as 'despised' is accurate, "qalal" includes 'contempt' and even 'to curse' as in Chapter 12 : 3 in God's statement to Abram.
      When Sarai "anah" (afflicts / oppress) Hagar, she flees.

7 - 12
      The text is specific here, a "malak" (messenger / angel) of The Lord shows up and makes the speech we quoted above. This is also the first time that word is used in the OT. We've had the LORD speaking to various characters, the SPIRIT of GOD was cruising over the dark waters early on, and the WORD of the LORD coming to Abram, but this is the first Angel. The next time we see any of them identified is in Sodom.
      We should also note that the Angel identifies Hagar by name as a "servant of Sarai".
      The promise made to Hagar from the angel is that her descendants will be beyond count. This is essentially the same statement made to Abram.
      But not there is a difference.
      The meaning of the boy's name is stated in the text. And this is where it gets interesting, the term "pere" is the Hebrew word for what is called the Onager, the Asian wild ass (Equs hemionus), which is notoriously difficult (almost impossible) to tame, and most reports of domesticated Onagers have been crossbreeds between that species and regular donkeys which were called kumgas, known from period inscriptions from 3000 BC.
      The passage that states that "his hand (fist) will be against everyone...." is correctly translated. The implication that he will live 'against' the presence of 'all his brothers' is in the closing words of verse 12. Implying a state of uneasy hostility with 'brothers', presumably somebody who isn't on the scene yet.

13 - 16
      Hagar's statement is interesting. She calls the name of YHWH, and acknowledges that He saw her...
      .... she said "halom" (dream) "raah" (I saw) "achar" (back of / hind part (similar word to what is used for Moses' vision in Exodus 33)) who sees me.
      Abe was 86 when Ishmael was born

Genesis 17 : 1 - 4
      We turn the page and Abe is 99 years old. And he is still to walk with "tamim" ('has' integrity / blameless / without blemish / etc) before the Lord.
      The Covenant is with him, and he will be the father of many nations, this is the same promise from Chapter 12.

5 - 8
      Name change. "Abram" means 'honored father', "Abraham" is 'father of a multitude' / 'many nations'.
      The promise is that from him will come 'great nations' and "melek" (kings).
      This promise is generalized, it includes Ishmael and ... others. It is to Abram/Abraham's descendants.

9 - 14
      The sign of the Covenant is the removal of the "orlah" (prepuce (foreskin over the head of the penis, and is NEVER used to describe the clitoral hood of the female)). in verse 12 and following it specifies that only the male child is to be circumcised.

15 - 17
      Name change. "Sarai" (from a root word meaning 'dominating / governing / controlling') to "Sarah" (princess).
      Abe "naphal" (falls down) "panim / paneh" (face) and "tsachaq" (laughs)...
      We're going to contrast this laughter with two other incidents in a few moments.

18
      Abe asks that Ishmael might live before God.

19 - 22
      GOD doesn't answer that immediately.
      First, the promise of Isaac (word means 'he laughs') through Sarah, and that the Covenant will be with him....
      .... "olam" (perpetual / eternity / etc) for his "zera" (posterity / descendants / offspring).
      GOD says he heard Abraham ask, so Ishmael will be great, and beget a dozen "nasiy" (princes / rulers / leader / etc), and so on.
      But the Covenant goes with Isaac. GOD then "alah" (ascended).

      Commentary: This comes up again in the New Testament, at the end of Galatians 4, where Paul differentiates the heirs of the two sons of Abraham.

"But what sayth the Scripture? Put out the seruant and her sonne: for the sonne of the seruant shall not be heire with the sonne of the free woman. Then brethren, we are not children of the seruant, but of the free woman."
Galatians 4 : 30 and 31 (1599 Geneva Bible, link below)

Chapter 18 : 1 - 8
      Time has passed. We find out how much later.
      The text specifies that YHWH appeared to Abe in front of his tent.
      Abe looks up and sees three men. The other two are NOT identified here. They may have been the angels that 'go to town' in the next chapter, but it is not made clear. In any case, Abraham bows to the group and asks them to stay with him for awhile. Including the offer to have water brought so they can wash their feet.
      We see that custom brought to its logical conclusion when an unidentified woman washes Christ's feet in Luke 7, and later when He washed the Apostles feet.
      Abraham continues and invites them for lunch. They accept, and he gives orders to Sarah and his household staff. The meal is prepared and they eat.
      Now, get this picture. The microwave dinners from the period took quite a bit more time to be ready to eat than they do now. The bread was still flour in a basket, and the calf was still walking around the pasture when Abraham invited his guests for lunch. It was easily several hours before the meal was ready.

9 - 10
      The guests ask about Sarah, Abe says she's in the tent.
      They promise is that when they come back, Sarah will have a son, meanwhile, she's inside the tent listening to the conversation.
      The text again specifies that Abraham and Sarah are 'well advanced' in age, and that Sarah was beyond childbearing age.
      Nothing here is news, all of this has been stated before.

12
      "tsachaq" (laughs) Sarah "qereb" (within herself) "amar" (said / saying) "achar" (following / after) I've "balah" (great age (implies wearing out / decay)) should I "hayah" (become / happen / come to pass / etc) "eden" ((in this context) pleasure / delight), and my "adon" (master / lord (implies: owner)) "zaqen" (aged / old).
      Remember 17 : 17? Sarah's thoughts are on par with Abraham's own the previous year. Yet her doing it draws special attention from outside, and is what has been mentioned in innumerable sermons ever since, while Abe's laughter is forgotten.

13 -14
      The punch line is the rhetorical question: "Is anything too difficult for YHWH?"

15
      Sarah denies it. YWHW answers her.
      This is the first time in Genesis that GOD has spoken directly to a woman since Eve was in Eden. When Hagar was in the wilderness, the text specifies an angel delivered the message, even though she said she saw God in a dream.

16 - 19
      There is a discussion between the three guests as they get ready to leave. Most of what is stated has been stated before.
      Of course this is all reiterated now to contrast the life of Abraham with those in the city, including Lot, who wanted to move there. Remember from the end of Chapter 14, Abram told the king of Sodom that he didn't want the king claiming he made Abram rich. Abe knew about the town, and may even have been there to visit his nephew.

20 -21
      Commentary: This part takes a bit of believing.
      The Creator needs to go on a field trip to check out the locals to see if the place is as bad as the rumor mill says it is?
      It is more likely, especially given the previous conversation that Abraham was privy to, that it is a test to see if Abe would speak up for his Nephew and his adopted home town.
      he does

22
      The escorts, they are still unidentified, turn toward Sodom, but Abraham stays in front of YHWH.

23 - 33
      Everybody reading these notes knows about how Abraham bargained GOD down from fifty righteous to ten in the city of Sodom.
      As soon as YHWH finished speaking He 'went His way', and Abraham returned to his place.

Selected resources for these chapters:

The New Living Translation. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2016&version=NLT

The Geneva Bible: https://www.textusreceptusbibles.com/Geneva/48/4

From the World Health Organization:
"More than 230 million girls and women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where FGM is practiced."
WHO.int https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation

Genesis Study Index Page

NOTE: The Bible Study Lesson presented above is posted as a reference document to begin a conversation of the topic. And that's it. Please accept it at such.

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