(1) The LORD said to Abram, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. (2) I will make of you a great nation, And I will bless you; I will make your name great, And you shall be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless you And curse him that curses you; And all the families of the earth Shall bless themselves by you.” (4) Abram went forth as the LORD had commanded him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (5) Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the wealth that they had amassed, and the persons that they had acquired in Haran; and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in the land of Canaan, (6) Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, at the terebinth of Moreh. The Canaanites were then in the land. (7) The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will assign this land to your offspring.” And he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.
(א) וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְהָ֣אֱלֹקִ֔ים נִסָּ֖ה אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ (ב) וַיֹּ֡אמֶר קַח־נָ֠א אֶת־בִּנְךָ֨ אֶת־יְחִֽידְךָ֤ אֲשֶׁר־אָהַ֙בְתָּ֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְלֶךְ־לְךָ֔ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּ֑ה וְהַעֲלֵ֤הוּ שָׁם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה עַ֚ל אַחַ֣ד הֶֽהָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ (ג) וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם אַבְרָהָ֜ם בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַֽיַּחֲבֹשׁ֙ אֶת־חֲמֹר֔וֹ וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־שְׁנֵ֤י נְעָרָיו֙ אִתּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֖ת יִצְחָ֣ק בְּנ֑וֹ וַיְבַקַּע֙ עֲצֵ֣י עֹלָ֔ה וַיָּ֣קָם וַיֵּ֔לֶךְ אֶל־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־אָֽמַר־ל֥וֹ הָאֱלֹקִֽים׃
(1) Some time afterward, God put Abraham to the test. He said to him, “Abraham,” and he answered, “Here I am.” (2) And He said, “Take your son, your favored one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the heights that I will point out to you.” (3) So early next morning, Abraham saddled his ass and took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and he set out for the place of which God had told him.
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Lech Lecha |
Akeida |
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Preceded by genealogy |
Followed by geneology |
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Rhythm and slow build-up of the command “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house…" |
Rhythm and slow build up of the command קַח־נָ֠א אֶת־בִּנְךָ֨ אֶת־יְחִֽידְךָ֤ אֲשֶׁר־אָהַ֙בְתָּ֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְלֶךְ־לְךָ֔ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּ֑ה “Take your son, your favored one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah…” |
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Going to an UNKNOWN place אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃ “…to the land that I will show you.” |
Going to an UNKNOWN place וְהַעֲלֵ֤הוּ שָׁם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה עַ֚ל אַחַ֣ד הֶֽהָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ “…and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the heights that I will point out to you.” |
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Avraham’s response: Immediately acted upon unquestioningly וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ “And Avram went as he had been told…” |
Avraham’s response: Immediately acted upon unquestioningly וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם אַבְרָהָ֜ם בַּבֹּ֗קֶר “And he got up early in the morning…” |
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Accompanied by others: Vayikach… Lot, Sara and others went with him |
Accompanied by others: Vayikach… He took two youths and his son |
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Took all of his wealth |
Saddled his ass | |
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Narrative ends with a blessing and building an altar |
Narrative ends with building an altar and a blessing |
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A.Genealogy before Abraham
B. Lech lecha
C. Promise of descendants and land
D. Sarai pretends to be Avram’s sister in Egypt.
Pharaoh sends them away angrily when he finds out.
E. Avram rescues Sodom and Lot militarily
F. Avram pleas with God that he is still childless.
G. Brit bein habtarim – Covenant promising descendants and land H. Hagar expelled. Birth of Ishmael
.................G’.Brit Milah – Circumcision covenant promising descendants and land
...........F’. Sarah is told she will have a child
..........E’. Avraham rescues Lot and tries to intercede for Sodom. Sodom destroyed.
.......D’. Sarah and Avraham go to Gerar where she pretends to be his sister.
Avimelech has a much more positive attitude than Pharaoh and welcomes
Avraham with gifts when he finds truth.
....C’. Birth of Isaac. Hagar and Ishmael expelled permanently.
..B’. Akeida – including promises of descendants and land
A’. Genealogy of Nahor