That Soap Opera In Genesis

[rylah]

3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. Ezekiel 16 KJV

The patriarchal genealogies from Adam through Jesus are given. Not an Amorite to be found in any of them. This is the story of Israel's mother. An innocent, bloody, throwaway baby girl. She is Sarah's mother and the only Lawful heir to the throne of Salem.
Abraham was from Ur and Hagar was Egyptian. Neither had a Lawful claim to the land of Canaan.
By grace through faith Abraham received a promise that came to him as a matter of Law through his wife Sarah.
I can only imagine the flak Ezekiel took when he told every living Israelite "Hey, your mother was a Canaanite".

Moloch (also Molech, Mollok, Milcom, or Malcam) is the biblical name of a Canaanite god associated with child sacrifice, through fire or war. The name Moloch results from a dysphemic vocalisation in the Second Temple period of a theonym based on the root mlk, "king".
Moloch - Wikipedia


"The story of Abraham being tested highlights This is the first (and most dramatic) example of this lesson, but not the only. The Torah repeatedly prohibits child sacrifice (another indication of how widespread human sacrifice was)—see Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 12:29-31; 18:9-10."
Dennis Prager


It is the same with the Canaanite......er, Democrat Party today.

There was a Canaanite King by the name of Melchezedek. To my knowledge, he did not advocate child sacrifice or worship a god called Moloch. Do you really paint all Canaanites (and democrats) with the same brush.

Jewish tradition indicates Melchizedek was Noah's son Shem. Both Melchizedek and Abraham existed before Israel existed and worshiped the same God Jehovah. Melchizedek was not a Canaanite.

That's only partially correct.

Malchizedek is Shem ben Noah,
he remained in the land amid the Canaanite (sons of Ham) invasion from Africa.
Abraham Avinu A"H, among the last remnants of Hebrews, was direct descendant of Shem.

Both served the 'Highest G-d', Shem was saved in the flood, and knew G-d from his father.
But Abraham Avinu's A"H greatness was that he recognized G-d through his own observation at a very young age, and in spite his father being an idol worshiper.

Again, both Abraham Avinu A"H and Malkitzedek served the 'Highest G-d',
but G-d's ultimate Name, which You mispronounce in vanity, was not revealed to them,
only later, at the burning bush to Mosheh Rabbenu A"H , to eventually reveal to all Israel.

The knowledge of G-d's ultimate Name was reserved until the family became a nation.

 

[foggedinn]

3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. Ezekiel 16 KJV

The patriarchal genealogies from Adam through Jesus are given. Not an Amorite to be found in any of them. This is the story of Israel's mother. An innocent, bloody, throwaway baby girl. She is Sarah's mother and the only Lawful heir to the throne of Salem.
Abraham was from Ur and Hagar was Egyptian. Neither had a Lawful claim to the land of Canaan.
By grace through faith Abraham received a promise that came to him as a matter of Law through his wife Sarah.
I can only imagine the flak Ezekiel took when he told every living Israelite "Hey, your mother was a Canaanite".

Moloch (also Molech, Mollok, Milcom, or Malcam) is the biblical name of a Canaanite god associated with child sacrifice, through fire or war. The name Moloch results from a dysphemic vocalisation in the Second Temple period of a theonym based on the root mlk, "king".
Moloch - Wikipedia


"The story of Abraham being tested highlights This is the first (and most dramatic) example of this lesson, but not the only. The Torah repeatedly prohibits child sacrifice (another indication of how widespread human sacrifice was)—see Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 12:29-31; 18:9-10."
Dennis Prager


It is the same with the Canaanite......er, Democrat Party today.

There was a Canaanite King by the name of Melchezedek. To my knowledge, he did not advocate child sacrifice or worship a god called Moloch. Do you really paint all Canaanites (and democrats) with the same brush.

Jewish tradition indicates Melchizedek was Noah's son Shem. Both Melchizedek and Abraham existed before Israel existed and worshiped the same God Jehovah. Melchizedek was not a Canaanite.

That's only partially correct.

Malchizedek is Shem ben Noah,
he remained in the land amid the Canaanite (sons of Ham) invasion from Africa.
Abraham Avinu A"H, among the last remnants of Hebrews, was direct descendant of Shem.

Both served the 'Highest G-d', Shem was saved in the flood, and knew G-d from his father.
But Abraham Avinu's A"H greatness was that he recognized G-d through his own observation at a very young age, and in spite his father being an idol worshiper.

Again, both Abraham Avinu A"H and Malkitzedek served the 'Highest G-d',
but G-d's ultimate Name, which You mispronounce in vanity, was not revealed to them,
only later, at the burning bush to Mosheh Rabbenu A"H , to eventually reveal to all Israel.

The knowledge of G-d's ultimate Name was reserved until the family became a nation.

Rubbish.

2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,


3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.


4 And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.


5 None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. Ezek. 16 KJV

The story of the birth of Sarah's mother is in keeping with soap opera theme of the OP.

Love, passion, betrayal and political intrigue that brought the City of Peace to the brink of war with the Hittle empire.

 

[Newtonian]

3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. Ezekiel 16 KJV

The patriarchal genealogies from Adam through Jesus are given. Not an Amorite to be found in any of them. This is the story of Israel's mother. An innocent, bloody, throwaway baby girl. She is Sarah's mother and the only Lawful heir to the throne of Salem.
Abraham was from Ur and Hagar was Egyptian. Neither had a Lawful claim to the land of Canaan.
By grace through faith Abraham received a promise that came to him as a matter of Law through his wife Sarah.
I can only imagine the flak Ezekiel took when he told every living Israelite "Hey, your mother was a Canaanite".

Moloch (also Molech, Mollok, Milcom, or Malcam) is the biblical name of a Canaanite god associated with child sacrifice, through fire or war. The name Moloch results from a dysphemic vocalisation in the Second Temple period of a theonym based on the root mlk, "king".
Moloch - Wikipedia


"The story of Abraham being tested highlights This is the first (and most dramatic) example of this lesson, but not the only. The Torah repeatedly prohibits child sacrifice (another indication of how widespread human sacrifice was)—see Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 12:29-31; 18:9-10."
Dennis Prager


It is the same with the Canaanite......er, Democrat Party today.

There was a Canaanite King by the name of Melchezedek. To my knowledge, he did not advocate child sacrifice or worship a god called Moloch. Do you really paint all Canaanites (and democrats) with the same brush.

Jewish tradition indicates Melchizedek was Noah's son Shem. Both Melchizedek and Abraham existed before Israel existed and worshiped the same God Jehovah. Melchizedek was not a Canaanite.

That's only partially correct.

Malchizedek is Shem ben Noah,
he remained in the land amid the Canaanite (sons of Ham) invasion from Africa.
Abraham Avinu A"H, among the last remnants of Hebrews, was direct descendant of Shem.

Both served the 'Highest G-d', Shem was saved in the flood, and knew G-d from his father.
But Abraham Avinu's A"H greatness was that he recognized G-d through his own observation at a very young age, and in spite his father being an idol worshiper.

Again, both Abraham Avinu A"H and Malkitzedek served the 'Highest G-d',
but G-d's ultimate Name, which You mispronounce in vanity, was not revealed to them,
only later, at the burning bush to Mosheh Rabbenu A"H , to eventually reveal to all Israel.Why

The knowledge of G-d's ultimate Name was reserved until the family became a nation.

You refer to God's name but you do not post his name as found in the Hebrew Scriptures nearly 7,000 times, including often in the Psalms which were sacred songs sung by faithful Jews.

You also fail to cite Scripture.

Psalms 8:1
O Jehovah our Lord, how majestic your name is throughout the earth;
You have set your splendor even higher than the heavens!*+

Notice that the Hebrew text has both H3068/Yehovah/Jehovah and H113/adon/Lord.

Do you agree faithful Jews sang that verse in Hebrew?

 

[rylah]

3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. Ezekiel 16 KJV

The patriarchal genealogies from Adam through Jesus are given. Not an Amorite to be found in any of them. This is the story of Israel's mother. An innocent, bloody, throwaway baby girl. She is Sarah's mother and the only Lawful heir to the throne of Salem.
Abraham was from Ur and Hagar was Egyptian. Neither had a Lawful claim to the land of Canaan.
By grace through faith Abraham received a promise that came to him as a matter of Law through his wife Sarah.
I can only imagine the flak Ezekiel took when he told every living Israelite "Hey, your mother was a Canaanite".

Moloch (also Molech, Mollok, Milcom, or Malcam) is the biblical name of a Canaanite god associated with child sacrifice, through fire or war. The name Moloch results from a dysphemic vocalisation in the Second Temple period of a theonym based on the root mlk, "king".
Moloch - Wikipedia


"The story of Abraham being tested highlights This is the first (and most dramatic) example of this lesson, but not the only. The Torah repeatedly prohibits child sacrifice (another indication of how widespread human sacrifice was)—see Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 12:29-31; 18:9-10."
Dennis Prager


It is the same with the Canaanite......er, Democrat Party today.

There was a Canaanite King by the name of Melchezedek. To my knowledge, he did not advocate child sacrifice or worship a god called Moloch. Do you really paint all Canaanites (and democrats) with the same brush.

Jewish tradition indicates Melchizedek was Noah's son Shem. Both Melchizedek and Abraham existed before Israel existed and worshiped the same God Jehovah. Melchizedek was not a Canaanite.

That's only partially correct.

Malchizedek is Shem ben Noah,
he remained in the land amid the Canaanite (sons of Ham) invasion from Africa.
Abraham Avinu A"H, among the last remnants of Hebrews, was direct descendant of Shem.

Both served the 'Highest G-d', Shem was saved in the flood, and knew G-d from his father.
But Abraham Avinu's A"H greatness was that he recognized G-d through his own observation at a very young age, and in spite his father being an idol worshiper.

Again, both Abraham Avinu A"H and Malkitzedek served the 'Highest G-d',
but G-d's ultimate Name, which You mispronounce in vanity, was not revealed to them,
only later, at the burning bush to Mosheh Rabbenu A"H , to eventually reveal to all Israel.

The knowledge of G-d's ultimate Name was reserved until the family became a nation.

Rubbish.

2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,


3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.


4 And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.


5 None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. Ezek. 16 KJV

The story of the birth of Sarah's mother is in keeping with soap opera theme of the OP.

Love, passion, betrayal and political intrigue that brought the City of Peace to the brink of war with the Hittle empire.

And this addresses my post how?
What did you actually try to refute?

 

[rylah]

3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. Ezekiel 16 KJV

The patriarchal genealogies from Adam through Jesus are given. Not an Amorite to be found in any of them. This is the story of Israel's mother. An innocent, bloody, throwaway baby girl. She is Sarah's mother and the only Lawful heir to the throne of Salem.
Abraham was from Ur and Hagar was Egyptian. Neither had a Lawful claim to the land of Canaan.
By grace through faith Abraham received a promise that came to him as a matter of Law through his wife Sarah.
I can only imagine the flak Ezekiel took when he told every living Israelite "Hey, your mother was a Canaanite".

Moloch (also Molech, Mollok, Milcom, or Malcam) is the biblical name of a Canaanite god associated with child sacrifice, through fire or war. The name Moloch results from a dysphemic vocalisation in the Second Temple period of a theonym based on the root mlk, "king".
Moloch - Wikipedia


"The story of Abraham being tested highlights This is the first (and most dramatic) example of this lesson, but not the only. The Torah repeatedly prohibits child sacrifice (another indication of how widespread human sacrifice was)—see Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 12:29-31; 18:9-10."
Dennis Prager


It is the same with the Canaanite......er, Democrat Party today.

There was a Canaanite King by the name of Melchezedek. To my knowledge, he did not advocate child sacrifice or worship a god called Moloch. Do you really paint all Canaanites (and democrats) with the same brush.

Jewish tradition indicates Melchizedek was Noah's son Shem. Both Melchizedek and Abraham existed before Israel existed and worshiped the same God Jehovah. Melchizedek was not a Canaanite.

That's only partially correct.

Malchizedek is Shem ben Noah,
he remained in the land amid the Canaanite (sons of Ham) invasion from Africa.
Abraham Avinu A"H, among the last remnants of Hebrews, was direct descendant of Shem.

Both served the 'Highest G-d', Shem was saved in the flood, and knew G-d from his father.
But Abraham Avinu's A"H greatness was that he recognized G-d through his own observation at a very young age, and in spite his father being an idol worshiper.

Again, both Abraham Avinu A"H and Malkitzedek served the 'Highest G-d',
but G-d's ultimate Name, which You mispronounce in vanity, was not revealed to them,
only later, at the burning bush to Mosheh Rabbenu A"H , to eventually reveal to all Israel.Why

The knowledge of G-d's ultimate Name was reserved until the family became a nation.

You refer to God's name but you do not post his name as found in the Hebrew Scriptures nearly 7,000 times, including often in the Psalms which were sacred songs sung by faithful Jews.

You also fail to cite Scripture.

Psalms 8:1
O Jehovah our Lord, how majestic your name is throughout the earth;
You have set your splendor even higher than the heavens!*+

Notice that the Hebrew text has both H3068/Yehovah/Jehovah and H113/adon/Lord.

Do you agree faithful Jews sang that verse in Hebrew?

Fail?
No dude, pronouncing G-d's ultimate Name is forbidden.
And in spite you actually don't know how to really pronounce it,
nevertheless, that's exactly what you intend to do, and in great vanity.

See 10 commandments, you're transgressing the most basic commandment.

 

[luchitociencia]

Sarah may be a nice Jewish girl…or old lady….but she is a tigress when it comes to protecting the interests of her baby boy!

How infortunate you don't read Hebrew and can't understand the real reason why Sarah behaved against Hagar the slave and her son.

But most incredible at all, you called Sarah a nice "Jewish girl", and such is a neat, wonderful, and ingenious ignorance from your part.

"Jews" appeared when Judah's descendants became a tribe, like Levites from the tribe of Levi, Benjamites from the tribe of Benjamin, etc.

I would advice you to check the details given in your opinion next time.

And, the biblical story mentioned by you, in modern days should take a conviction rather than a novel script as you have suggested it.

 

[PoliticalChic]

Sarah may be a nice Jewish girl…or old lady….but she is a tigress when it comes to protecting the interests of her baby boy!

How infortunate you don't read Hebrew and can't understand the real reason why Sarah behaved against Hagar the slave and her son.

But most incredible at all, you called Sarah a nice "Jewish girl", and such is a neat, wonderful, and ingenious ignorance from your part.

"Jews" appeared when Judah's descendants became a tribe, like Levites from the tribe of Levi, Benjamites from the tribe of Benjamin, etc.

I would advice you to check the details given in your opinion next time.

And, the biblical story mentioned by you, in modern days should take a conviction rather than a novel script as you have suggested it.

You don't know what you're talking about.

 

[luchitociencia]

You don't know what you're talking about.

In that case, It's is best for you to continue in your formidable ignorance. (Sarah a Jewish girl.... Lol)

Enjoy it.

 

[PoliticalChic]

You don't know what you're talking about.

In that case, It's is best for you to continue in your formidable ignorance. (Sarah a Jewish girl.... Lol)

Enjoy it.

Sarah - Women in the Bible - Aish.com
www.aish.com › women › Women_in_the_Bible_Sarah

Sarah, the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac, was the first Jewish matriarch.

 

[luchitociencia]

Sarah - Women in the Bible - Aish.com
www.aish.com › women › Women_in_the_Bible_Sarah

Sarah, the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac, was the first Jewish matriarch.

So, you are not the only ignorant.

Sad to know that the ignorant who call Sarah a Jewish matriarch is not you alone as an individual but lots of dudes and gals like a club or sect.

Just read the bible next time before writing more brutalities of your own and from others.

 

[foggedinn]

3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. Ezekiel 16 KJV

The patriarchal genealogies from Adam through Jesus are given. Not an Amorite to be found in any of them. This is the story of Israel's mother. An innocent, bloody, throwaway baby girl. She is Sarah's mother and the only Lawful heir to the throne of Salem.
Abraham was from Ur and Hagar was Egyptian. Neither had a Lawful claim to the land of Canaan.
By grace through faith Abraham received a promise that came to him as a matter of Law through his wife Sarah.
I can only imagine the flak Ezekiel took when he told every living Israelite "Hey, your mother was a Canaanite".

Moloch (also Molech, Mollok, Milcom, or Malcam) is the biblical name of a Canaanite god associated with child sacrifice, through fire or war. The name Moloch results from a dysphemic vocalisation in the Second Temple period of a theonym based on the root mlk, "king".
Moloch - Wikipedia


"The story of Abraham being tested highlights This is the first (and most dramatic) example of this lesson, but not the only. The Torah repeatedly prohibits child sacrifice (another indication of how widespread human sacrifice was)—see Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 12:29-31; 18:9-10."
Dennis Prager


It is the same with the Canaanite......er, Democrat Party today.

There was a Canaanite King by the name of Melchezedek. To my knowledge, he did not advocate child sacrifice or worship a god called Moloch. Do you really paint all Canaanites (and democrats) with the same brush.

Jewish tradition indicates Melchizedek was Noah's son Shem. Both Melchizedek and Abraham existed before Israel existed and worshiped the same God Jehovah. Melchizedek was not a Canaanite.

That's only partially correct.

Malchizedek is Shem ben Noah,
he remained in the land amid the Canaanite (sons of Ham) invasion from Africa.
Abraham Avinu A"H, among the last remnants of Hebrews, was direct descendant of Shem.

Both served the 'Highest G-d', Shem was saved in the flood, and knew G-d from his father.
But Abraham Avinu's A"H greatness was that he recognized G-d through his own observation at a very young age, and in spite his father being an idol worshiper.

Again, both Abraham Avinu A"H and Malkitzedek served the 'Highest G-d',
but G-d's ultimate Name, which You mispronounce in vanity, was not revealed to them,
only later, at the burning bush to Mosheh Rabbenu A"H , to eventually reveal to all Israel.Why

The knowledge of G-d's ultimate Name was reserved until the family became a nation.

You refer to God's name but you do not post his name as found in the Hebrew Scriptures nearly 7,000 times, including often in the Psalms which were sacred songs sung by faithful Jews.

You also fail to cite Scripture.

Psalms 8:1
O Jehovah our Lord, how majestic your name is throughout the earth;
You have set your splendor even higher than the heavens!*+

Notice that the Hebrew text has both H3068/Yehovah/Jehovah and H113/adon/Lord.

Do you agree faithful Jews sang that verse in Hebrew?

Fail?
No dude, pronouncing G-d's ultimate Name is forbidden.
And in spite you actually don't know how to really pronounce it,
nevertheless, that's exactly what you intend to do, and in great vanity.

See 10 commandments, you're transgressing the most basic commandment.

The story of the true name of the Most High God.

The true name of the Most High God is too holy to speak, or write, or convey in any form or fashion from one of us to another. We are simply not a vessel to contain it.
If the true name of the Most High God were whispered at the world, the earth would be reduced to dust and ruble. And if the true name of the Most High God were shouted, it would be the end of all.

 

[Picaro]

4. OK…no murder here.
Just a recounting of, as Sue said, an 'all-too-human' human situation.


Now.....add the green-eyed-monster....jealousy!!!

21.10 She said to Abraham, “Cast out that slave-woman and her son, for the son of that slave shall not share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”




Let me note here, that this could be considered as evidence in the argument over whether the Bible is simply a ‘novel’ or divinely inspired: The first Jewish wife doesn’t come across as too nice in this interaction, does she.

If the ‘tribe’ wrote the Old Testament….wouldn’t Sarah be more….’heroic’?



“There is no reason to believe Ishmael had done anything wrong. But now that Isaac has survived past the critical age of weaning, Sarah realized he will have competition for his inheritance, and she sought to eliminate it. She succeeded: Genesis 25:5 records at the end of Abraham’s life that “he gave everything he had to Isaac.” Dennis Prager

Could this be a reason for the animus by Muslims…..a grudge from antiquity?

The story is more nuanced than that; Isaac's life is in danger from Hagar's offspring. Think of it as a case of a mother defending her child from an aggressor, and then extrapolate the situation to a tribal and then national level and geo-politics. These are not just 'simple folklore stories' in the greater context, they point to existential realities and insights on how to deal with complex issues. Sarah is acting entirely moral. There is nothing to stop Abraham from leaving everything to Isaac if he so chose to over others, be they alive or dead is irrelevant, as Abraham is the patriarch and head of the family. Even as late as the Roman empire fathers had the power of life and death over all their children, up to age 35 or so in the case of Romans but it varies with the tribes over history.

Another issue, unrelated to the story here, but were Egyptians 'Arabs' back then? I don't think so, but don't know for sure, I just doubt it. the Arab invasions came much later.

 

[PoliticalChic]

4. OK…no murder here.
Just a recounting of, as Sue said, an 'all-too-human' human situation.


Now.....add the green-eyed-monster....jealousy!!!

21.10 She said to Abraham, “Cast out that slave-woman and her son, for the son of that slave shall not share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”




Let me note here, that this could be considered as evidence in the argument over whether the Bible is simply a ‘novel’ or divinely inspired: The first Jewish wife doesn’t come across as too nice in this interaction, does she.

If the ‘tribe’ wrote the Old Testament….wouldn’t Sarah be more….’heroic’?



“There is no reason to believe Ishmael had done anything wrong. But now that Isaac has survived past the critical age of weaning, Sarah realized he will have competition for his inheritance, and she sought to eliminate it. She succeeded: Genesis 25:5 records at the end of Abraham’s life that “he gave everything he had to Isaac.” Dennis Prager

Could this be a reason for the animus by Muslims…..a grudge from antiquity?

The story is more nuanced than that; Isaac's life is in danger from Hagar's offspring. Think of it as a case of a mother defending her child from an aggressor, and then extrapolate the situation to a tribal and then national level and geo-politics. These are not just 'simple folklore stories' in the greater context, they point to existential realities and insights on how to deal with complex issues. Sarah is acting entirely moral. There is nothing to stop Abraham from leaving everything to Isaac if he so chose to over others, be they alive or dead is irrelevant, as Abraham is the patriarch and head of the family. Even as late as the Roman empire fathers had the power of life and death over all their children, up to age 35 or so in the case of Romans but it varies with the tribes over history.

Another issue, unrelated to the story here, but were Egyptians 'Arabs' back then? I don't think so, but don't know for sure, I just doubt it. the Arab invasions came much later.

"The story is more nuanced than that; Isaac's life is in danger from Hagar's offspring. "

That may be a conclusion of some, yours, but it does not follow from the text.

The book I am studying is Prager's 'Genesis,' and he says the following:

21.9 Sarah saw the son whom Hagar, the Egyptian had borne to Abraham, playing.

The word “playing” (mitzachek) is another play on Isaac’s name. Literally, it means “make to laugh.” But it may also mean “mocking” or even have sexual connotations (as it does when used later to describe the Israelites’ behavior around the Golden Calf—Exodus 32:6). At this point, Ishmael was about sixteen years old and Isaac was about two.

The brothers are thus fourteen years apart. Since a child is usually weaned at about two, this would make Ishmael about sixteen. The older brother was probably just trying to amuse his little brother. But for whatever reason—and the following verse certainly offers one possible reason— this scene disturbed Sarah.



21.10 She said to Abraham, “Cast out that slave-woman and her son, for the son of that slave shall not share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”

There is no reason to believe Ishmael had done anything wrong. But now that Isaac has survived past the critical age of weaning, Sarah realized he will have competition for his inheritance, and she sought to eliminate it. She succeeded: Genesis 25:5 records at the end of Abraham’s life that “he gave everything he had to Isaac.”