Day 10: Hagar & Ishamel

 Today's reading: Genesis 20-21, Job 9-10, and Proverbs 2:6-8.

I. Today's reading in Genesis begins with Abraham again using deceit by telling the local king of Gerar that beautiful Sarah was just his sister (20:1-2). Again, she is taken to be wed to the king, but Abimelech is warned by God in a dream not to touch her, and he with his household are cursed as long as Sarah remains with him (20:3-7). Somewhat horrified at being deceived like this, Abimelech called Abraham and asked him why he would do this to him (20:8-10). Abraham replied that he thought "there is no fear of God at all in this place," so he would be killed over Sarah if the king knew she was his wife (20:11-13). Abimelech may have been an unsavory character, but the warning from God got through to him quite clearly. Once again, the somewhat wily Abraham makes out grand as Abimelech gifts him many things to demonstrate that Sarah was untouched by him and invites Abraham to stay wherever he pleases (20:14-16). The chapter ends with Abraham praying for Abimelech and his household to be healed (20:17-18). On the surface, Abraham's deception seems understandable, but he doesn't come off as a very honest man when it suits him.

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, comments on this story like this: 

In so many of these early stories we see Abraham walking in faith, but we also see him faltering. He submits to circumcision and enters into the covenant with the Lord. But when he goes to Egypt and again with Abimelech, he seems to falter in his courage. He passes off Sarah as his sister twice out of fear. (p. 26)

So fear and a lack of courage are his reasons for the deceit.

In the next chapter, Sarah finally gives birth to a son, naming him Isaac (21:1-4). She is very pleased, and the child is circumsized as per the covenant (21:4-7). Next, we see the first recorded example of why man should never have more than one wife: Sarah becomes jealous of Hagar and Ishmael, and fearful for her son Isaac, asks Abraham to cast them out (21:8-10). Now that seems excessively cruel, especially back then, casting a woman and her boy into the wild with no visible support. Abraham isn't happy about this, but God assures him that it's okay because through Isaac the covenant will run, and Ishmael will still be blessed (21:11-13). Abraham consents to this, though this must have been hard since he probably never saw them again, and Hagar, with Ishmael leave (21:14). They undergo some difficulties, but an angel assures them God will care for them, and He does (21:15-21).

Finally, we get to the last act of Genesis for today. Abraham and Abimelech, with his army commander Phicol, make a covenant with each other. Given Abraham's previous conduct, I find it amusing how Abimelech puts it:

God is with you in all that you do; now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but as I have dealt loyally with you, you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned. (21:22-23)

The importance of this kind of covenant is noted by the Ignatius Bible: 

A covenant of mutual peace between Abraham and Abimelech. It follows the pattern of a Near Eastern kinship or parity covenant between equals. Both parties swear a solemn oath during the ratification ceremony (21:31), invoking God's name (21:23), and expressing their mutual commitments through a verbal declaration (21:30) and ritual action (21:28). (p. 84)

II. We see that Job is still very much in despair over his suffering, believing that God has abandoned him, though he knows not what sin he may have committed to anger Him. His utter despair is clear to me in these verses:

 Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not;

    he moves on, but I do not perceive him.

Behold, he snatches away; who can hinder him?

    Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ 

 The Ignatius Bible notes on Job's despairing plea:

He "desires a day in court" to settle the matter of his innocence (9:15), and yet he dreads the prospect of lodging a formal complaint with the Almighty (9:32-35). So he is left to complain to his friends (10:1) and to wrestle with the mystery of why he is made to suffer (10:2). He ends with a plea for a short respite before death (10:20). The language of juridical dispute permeates the discourse. (p. 796)

So in his anguish, he wishes for death but also seems to question God's justice (9:14-24). Indeed, he "seems to despair of fair treatment, as though God were indifferent to his guilt or innocence" (10:15; p. 798).

It's probably intended at this point in the story, but it is rather difficult not to really feel sorry for Job and ask God, "Why?" like many of us have done in our own lives during tough times.

It is here that today's reading in Job ends.

I do like how the BIY Companion, Vol 1, puts it for today's reading:

Job expresses questions that many of us have: Why did you, Lord, allow me to come into existence and then abandon me like this? Though I am striving to be righteous, why does it seem like you do not care? Lord, do you not care that I'm hurting so much? I thought living righteously mattered to you. It now seems like it doesn't matter at all... there is so much we do not understand about this life. But the closer we stay to him, the more we grow in wisdom and the more clearly we see things, even in the midst of suffering. (p. 26)

III. Finally, Proverbs. I've resigned myself to just getting small pieces each day, but nevertheless, I must say this morsel is rather good from the father to his son:

 For the Lord gives wisdom;

    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

    he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,

guarding the paths of justice

    and preserving the way of his saints.

That's all for today.