Linking Isaac and you may Jacob on the Class of Abraham
… Sarah does not can be found in ch. 24. Looking right back over the story, the fresh source would be merely to the daddy who, early in the latest part, believed he was next to passing. It’s probable thus that the finishing sentence ran: ‘Thus Isaac is actually comforted following the loss of their father.’…
Gunkel’s option would be perhaps not adequate, however. Their argument you to definitely “if the slave relates to Isaac, Isaac says to your one their dad keeps died about meantime,” ignores the point that the brand new servant relates to Isaac due to the fact “his master” through to the a couple had the opportunity to cam (v. 65), from which area, the new servant don’t have recognized that Abraham had passed away. Additionally, the new find about Isaac looking spirits to own their mom’s dying links needless to say so you can Sarah death (ch. 23), and thus there is no justification so you’re able to emend the fresh verse to help you “dad.”
A good Fragment out-of Lifestyle
I will suggest that to begin with it absolutely was Isaac, presumably by himself effort, just who directs out of their slave to obtain your a partner. For this reason, if slave productivity with Rebecca, the guy gift ideas her straight to Isaac.
As i argue within my “Isaac before He was Abraham’s Child” (TheTorah 2020), Abraham was previously a different patriarch, who offered alone while the “father” of the country
A publisher changed the bulk of the narrative (vv. 1–52), that in the first place worried about Isaac simply, to provide Abraham once the individual that taken care of their child and setup to possess his marriage just before his dying. Therefore, the man makes reference to “his learn Abraham” (vv. a dozen, twenty seven, 42, 48) which is entitled “Abraham’s slave” (vv. 34, 52), and far of dialogue means new servant interested in good wife into master’s child.
Good fragment of basic type of the latest story are maintained regarding v. 53, and that means the latest servant’s gift so you’re able to Rebecca’s cousin and you will mother, before stop of the story, with just a few editorial glosses (vv. 59, and you can 67a).
Here, brand new servant was regarded simply since “this new slave” otherwise “the person” (vv. 53, 58, 61, 65 [twice], 66), that may exactly as easily be a mention of Isaac’s slave. Significantly more significantly, starting with verse 54, we discover “the fresh slave” speaking to Rebecca’s mom and you can sis from the “my personal master” heta tjejer i Vietnam (vv. 54, 56) instead of “my grasp Abraham” (such as vv. several, 27, 35–37, 39, 42, 48):
?????? ??:?? ????????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ????? ?????????? ????????? ????????? ???????????? ????? ????????? ???????????. ??:?? ??????????? ???????????? ???? ????????????? ?????? ?????? ??????????? ??????????? ???????? ????????? ??????????? ????????. ??:?? ????????? ??????? ??? ?????????? ????? ???????? ????????? ????????? ???????????? ????????? ????????.
Gen New slave brought out objects of gold and silver, and garments, and you will gave them to Rebecca; in which he gave gift ideas so you can her sis and her mom. Then he therefore the dudes which have your ate and you can ingested, and so they spent the night. When they emerged 2nd early morning, the guy told you, “Provide myself leave to consult with my grasp.”… The guy said to all of them, “Don’t slow down me personally, now that YHWH makes my errand profitable. Offer me get-off that we might go back at my grasp.”
From here up to verse 65, the fresh new servant seems to be dealing with Isaac as he states “my personal learn;” this is certainly clear when he teaches you to Rebecca whom the man addressing them was.
As to why is the story reworked to make the effort towards the ‘s and not Isaac’s? Originally, the Abraham and you can Isaac reports had been independent life, and you can just weren’t connected: Isaac was not Abraham’s child. Meanwhile, Isaac along with his son Jacob-the daddy off Israel-belonged to help you a multiple, separate, national heritage.