… Sarah cannot appear in ch. 24. Searching straight back across the story, the newest reference might possibly be simply to the daddy just who, early in the newest section, thought that he had been close to dying. It is possible ergo the finishing phrase ran: ‘Therefore Isaac was comfortable following loss of their dad.’…

Gunkel’s option would be not enough, not. Their argument one “if slave concerns Isaac, Isaac tells your one his father has actually died on the meantime,” ignores the fact the latest servant makes reference to Isaac given that “their master” through to the one or two had a chance to cam (v. 65), of which part, the brand new slave do not have recognized you to definitely Abraham got passed away. Additionally, the brand new find regarding Isaac trying to find morale to have their mother’s death links needless to say so you can Sarah dying (ch. 23), for example there’s no valid reason to emend the newest verse to help you “dad.”

An effective Fragment of Traditions

I would recommend you to definitely to start with it absolutely was Isaac, allegedly by himself effort, which sends off their slave to acquire him a partner. For this reason, if the servant efficiency that have Rebecca, the guy gift ideas her right to Isaac.

As i argue inside my “Isaac in advance of He was Abraham’s Son” (TheTorah 2020), Abraham was once an independent patriarch, which served by yourself just like the “father” of the country

A publisher internationalwomen.net min fГ¶rklaring modified the majority of the fresh new story (vv. 1–52), you to to begin with concerned about Isaac merely, presenting Abraham as the one who taken care of his son and you will setup getting his relationship just before his death. Therefore, the person relates to “their learn Abraham” (vv. several, twenty-seven, 42, 48) and is called “Abraham’s servant” (vv. 34, 52), and much of your own talk is focused on this new servant trying to find a great wife toward master’s young man.

Good fragment of your very first form of brand new narrative is actually managed regarding v. 53, and that means the brand new servant’s gift to Rebecca’s aunt and you can mother, before the prevent of your own narrative, in just a few editorial glosses (vv. 59, and you may 67a).

Right here, this new servant is labeled simply given that “the latest slave” otherwise “the person” (vv. 53, 58, 61, 65 [twice], 66), that could exactly as be easily a regard to Isaac’s servant. Far more notably, beginning with verse 54, we discover “the fresh new slave” talking to Rebecca’s mommy and you may brother regarding “my personal master” (vv. 54, 56) in the place of “my personal learn Abraham” (as in vv. twelve, twenty seven, 35–37, 39, 42, 48):

?????? ??:?? ????????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ????? ?????????? ????????? ????????? ???????????? ????? ????????? ???????????. ??:?? ??????????? ???????????? ???? ????????????? ?????? ?????? ??????????? ??????????? ???????? ????????? ??????????? ????????. ??:?? ????????? ??????? ??? ?????????? ????? ???????? ????????? ????????? ???????????? ????????? ????????.

Gen New slave brought out objects off gold-and-silver, and you may clothing, and you will offered these to Rebecca; and he offered presents so you can their sister along with her mother. He then plus the guys that have your ate and you can drank, and spent the evening. Once they arose next day, the guy told you, “Promote me personally leave to consult with my personal master.”… He believed to all of them, “Do not delay me personally, given that YHWH made my personal errand successful. Bring me personally leave that i might have to go back at my learn.”

From this point up until verse 65, the brand new slave appears to be making reference to Isaac as he states “my personal grasp;” this might be clear as he shows you to help you Rebecca whom the person approaching all of them was.

Why is the story reworked to help make the initiative to the ‘s and never Isaac’s? In the first place, the new Abraham and you can Isaac reports were separate life style, and just weren’t connected: Isaac was not Abraham’s son. Meanwhile, Isaac along with his young man Jacob-the daddy out of Israel-belonged to help you a simultaneous, independent, federal tradition.