Abram's Story

We left off yesterday with everybody scattering after they suddenly changed languages, and then we started focusing on one family. It's Terah's family, but we narrow it down further as we get into chapter 12.

Today's reading: Genesis (Beresheet) 12-14

Beresheet 12:1-3 "Now Yahuah had said to Abram: 'Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great, And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'"

How bout that? Up until now we're not really sure who Abram is, aside from his family tree. Sure, that stuff is important, but who is Abram? Whoever he was, he must have done something important to get a blessing like that! Maybe he was always faithful to Yahuah. Maybe he was just a good guy. Probably both. At any rate, Yahuah was clearly happy with him and wanted him to be great.

Beresheet 12:4 "So Abram departed as Yahuah had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Cannanites were then in the land."

It's pretty simple, Yahuah told Abram to move, so Abram moved. Abram is demonstrating a strong faith in Yahuah by leaving his family, remember how tightly knit those family units were? Also, lifespans were shortening, so 75 isn't very young anymore. So here we have an guy in... probably his late middle ages, his wife, and his nephew packing all their stuff (they may have had their servants do that part) and leaving. If my Bible atlas is anywhere near accurate (it's... not the best one they've got on the market, let's leave it at that), that means they traveled about 300 miles, just because Yahuah told them to. How's that for faith?

Beresheet 12:7-9 "Then Yahuah appeared to Abram and said, 'To your descendants I will give this land.' And there he built an altar to Yahuah, who had appeared to him. And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to Yahuah and called on the name of Yahuah. So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South."

So Abram went and found the place where Yahuah wanted his descendants to live. That sounds pretty normal (kinda) except for one thing. Did anyone miss this? Abram doesn't have any descendants yet. Not even a son to carry on the family name. ...If they had family names back then. So far everybody's going on a first name basis, so I can't tell. Sarai can't have kids. Don't worry too much though, as you'll soon find out, when Yahuah says something is going to happen, it happens. And then they continued on south. They traveled 300 miles and yet they continue.

Beresheet 12:10 "Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land."

Now after Yah told Abram all about Canaan, why have there be a famine there that is so big that Abram has to bring Sarai and Lot to Egypt? Well, it's all part of His plan for Abram, believe it or not.

Beresheet 12:11-13 "And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, 'Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, this is his wife'; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.'"

Sarai must've been truly beautiful, despite being in her mid-60's. I've a feeling though, that Yah is up to something even as Abram spoke. Since when is he scared when he knows Yahuah is on his side? He's so full of faith, and yet he worries that Sarai is too beautiful? He's preparing to lie to an entire country. That doesn't sound very faithful. But wait, Yahuah made a promise to Abram, perhaps He's just getting everything ready to fulfill it.

Beresheet 12:14-16 "So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house. He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels."

Ah-ha! Abram came into that land with nothing of particular interest except for Sarai, Lot, and his life's savings, and now he's being given a lot of animals and servants because the Pharaoh likes his "sister." It's probably kinda hard to gain respect and become a great nation when you left your father's house and didn't bring much, but now his status is being lifted by the king of Egypt. You don't give just anybody free animals and servants, but Pharaoh did.

Beresheet 12:17-20 "But Yahuah plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, 'What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, "She is my sister"? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife, take her and go your way.' So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had."

Pharaoh had a point. It's not right to marry somebody else's wife. But to drive that point home, Yah plagued Pharaoh until he gave Sarai back. Not quite sure what kind of plagues they were. They could've been like the plagues in Exodus, or they could've been like the chickenpox. Either way, Pharaoh had had enough. He kicked Abram and Sarai out of Egypt and let them keep their gifts.

Beresheet 13:1-4 "Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of Yahuah."

Backtracking! Rewind! Back out of Egypt he went. Looks like he kept all the stuff Pharaoh gave him, and when added to what he already had, he became the ancient equivalent of a millionare.

Beresheet 13:5-7 "Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and ther herdsmen of Lot's livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land."

There's only so much grass for the animals to share. Only so much space for the servants to share. At this point, Abram practically had his own country that followed him around everywhere, and Lot was doing pretty good too. Unfortunately, they needed their space. Their servants had problems getting along because the animals all had to share the same space, and they were both just too rich to stay together without problems.

Beresheet 13:8-9 "So Abram said to Lot, 'Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.'"

Abram did the responsible thing. It may have hurt, after all, they were family, but it was the right thing. They can probably still visit each other, but they won't be in close enough proximity for their servants to bother one another.

Beresheet 13:10-13 "And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before Yahuah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of Yahuah, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against Yahuah."

Sometimes when writing a book, an author will add little hints here and there pertaining to what will be happening in a character's future. That technique is called foreshadowing. The trick is to be very very subtle. Sometimes readers will catch it, sometimes they won't. What was done here in verse 10 is not foreshadowing.

Beresheet 13:14 "And Yahuah said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: 'Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are - northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.'"

When I was little, my favorite Disney movie was The Lion King. There's a scene in the movie that reminds me of this passage. In it, the sun is shining over the entire savannah. Simba and Mufasa are sitting on top of Pride Rock, and Mufasa's telling Simba about his responsibilities as king. One line in particular is embedded into my memory: "Everything the light touches, that's our kingdom." "Everything the light touches? Woah." I imagine Abram probably felt like Simba did right there. Simply in awe.

Beresheet 13:18 "Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to Yahuah."

If you've noticed, thus far altars are used for worship and for thanks.

In Beresheet 14:1-12, you read of an epic battle between kings, and how Lot was taken captive.

Beresheet 14:14 "Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people."

Can you imagine? You're a king, and you've just won this battle between yourself and a bunch of other kings. You've taken prisoners and spoils, and you're just kinda relaxing after a lot of fighting. Then, out of nowhere, in the cover of nightfall, another army who wasn't even involved in your battle comes and chases you away. Didn't see that one coming, did ya?

He then met with the kings of Salem and Sodom.

Beresheet 14:18-20 "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of Elohim Most High. And he blessed him and said 'Blessed be Abram of Elohim Most High, Possessor or heaven and earth; And blessed be Elohim Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.' And he gave him a tithe of all."

Not only did Abram receive a blessing from a righteous king, but also a tithe. Next we hear from the king of Sodom.

Beresheet 14:21 "Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, 'Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.' But Abram said to the king of Sodom, 'I have raised my hand to Yahuah, Elohim Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, "I have made Abram rich" - except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.'"

It looks like the king of Sodom is grateful to Abram, and offers him all the spoils, except for the people. Abram knows he doesn't need it, and he made a promise to Yah that he wouldn't take anything, so he didn't. Instead, he let his men take what they wanted. In the end, Abram had already gotten what he wanted, and that was Lot's safety.

Next reading is Genesis (Beresheet) 15-17.

I'm working on finding good music and other stuff for you guys to look at, but I haven't found anything for this passage. Don't worry though, there will be music and stuff coming up, just not right now.