Category: Genesis

Genesis 23:10 Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city. 

The commentary that I have been using says that today’s exchange is common when it comes to the negotiation of price at that time. The party that owns the land offers to give it freely, knowing that the other party will refuse. Party two refuses, knowing that it is part of the negotiation process. Party one offers a price that is high as a starting point for negotiations, and party two negotiates from there.

Genesis 23:11 “No, my lord,” he said. “Listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”

The commentary I pulled up yesterday had a completely different spin. It posited that Ephron offered to give Abraham the land because Ephron is generous and Abraham has been generous. This is a sign of respect for that generosity. Commentary says Abraham refused 1. out of a sense of justice. He wanted to be sure Ephron got the money he deserved for his land and 2. because Abraham didn’t want any future heirs of Ephron to contest Sarah’s right to be buried there.

Genesis 23:12 Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land 

Precious Savior, Reading scripture can be confusing enough without completely different accounts in commentary. Thank You for the ability to see varying accounts as possibilities since none of us were there to really know. Thank You for the ability to read various accounts so that I can make up my own mind about a situation. Help me draw closer to You. Always. Amen.

Genesis 23:13 and he said to Ephron in their hearing, “Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.”

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 23:5-6 The Hittites replied to Abraham, “Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”

My normal commentary had precious little to say about today’s verses, so I pulled up a different commentary, and it was really interesting. That commentary talks about the process of grief and mourning–how it is necessary, it is honoring those we have lost, but we have to keep grief from overwhelming us, from consuming us. For Abraham, that shift came when he began looking for a burial place for Sarah.

Genesis 23:7 Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. 

Commentary also talks about death as a reminder that this world is not our home, that physical death is not our end, that because of Jesus, we have the hope of heaven, we have the promise of eternity. Physical death, physical separation is so very hard, but it’s not the end. This world is not our home. That’s definitely worth remembering.

Genesis 23:8 He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf 

Precious Savior, You know how I struggle with death, with losing those I love. It is so very hard. Thank You for the hope of heaven, for the promise of eternity that can only come from You. Death is a part of life. Draw us close when it touches us, help us to feel Your love and peace, help us to remember this earth is not our home. Help us in our grief. Amen.

Genesis 23:9 so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 23:1 Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. 

I intentionally chose an accompanying commentary that doesn’t completely jive with my religious beliefs. I think it is good to think about ideas that are not my own, ponder and pray about whether that is what I believe or not. It makes life and scripture less of an echo chamber, it makes me intentionally read and analyze, and I think God sincerely appreciates my effort to draw closer.

Genesis 23:2 She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.

Personally, I think if commentary tears down or belittles others–whether with an overt reference or a covert jab–that, to me, is not from God. God doesn’t belittle. He doesn’t tear down. He doesn’t mock. He knows what that feels like, and that’s not who He is.

Genesis 23:3 Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said,

Precious Savior, Thank You for giving me the intellect and curiosity to seek understanding and truth as I read Your word. Thank You that I can read commentary that isn’t an echo chamber of my beliefs, that I can sus out good and true and useful information from the commentary, and that I can identify what does not square with my beliefs. Help me–with all my reading and studying and praying–to draw closer to You. Daily. Amen.

Genesis 23:4 “I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 22:17b Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 

Abraham’s walk has been nothing approaching perfect. He has stumbled and misstepped more than once. He lied (twice), took matters into his own hands, fretted, mistrusted, etc. His path was not a straight, righteous line to God. HOWEVER, his path *does* lead to God. And he finds favor with God. Verse 18 says that through Abraham’s offspring, “all the nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

Genesis 22:18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

I think I grew up with the idea that in order for God to be able to use me, I had to walk perfectly in His will–no mistakes, no missteps. Of course, that’s impossible. Not even Abraham achieved that goal. But God still considered Him righteous. That means there’s hope for me, with all my human imperfections. Help me, Jesus.

Genesis 22:19a Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. 

Precious Savior, I doubt and fear. I fret and mistrust. I sometimes take matters into my own hands to try to “help” You along. Forgive me. Help me. And thank You that You can still use me in my brokenness, in my messiness, in my humanness. Use me for Your will, Jesus. Help me to shine Your light. Amen.

Genesis 22:19b And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 22:14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”  

Commentary does not seem to wrestle with any of the issues that I wrestled with in this scripture. The agony and horror–to both father and son–of Isaac being bound and led to be sacrificed, even though a substitution was made at the last minute, had to have been terrifying to both. I suppose another factor in my issue with this scripture is the cultural relevance.

Genesis 22:15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time

Just yesterday I read two separate news stories about parents who killed multiple children due to their, the parent’s, own actions. Neither claimed this scripture that I’m aware of (though parents who have harmed their children have claimed it in the past), but I still struggle. Children should feel safe in their own homes. They should feel that their parents will protect them, provide for them, not harm them. Far too many children do not have the luxury of that belief. Jesus, Help them.

Genesis 22:16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 

Precious Savior, Forgive me that I have a hard time seeing what you are trying to teach me because of the horrors that people actively visit on each other in this world. Please be with those children who are literally afraid for their lives because of the actions of their parents. Please help me, even with the issues I have when I read this scripture, to hear Your message, to understand that you will provide. Always. Amen.

Genesis 22:17a I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. 

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 22:10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 

God loves my children more than I am even capable of loving. That statement takes my breath away because I love my children so very much. But He loves them more. They were His long before they were ever mine. And they aren’t really “mine” so much as He has loaned them to me to love and support, to nurture and care for on this earth.

Genesis 22:11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.

One of the hardest jobs of a parent is to teach your children to live well without you. We want our children to be independent, to go out into the world and make their own way. And God knows we will need Him–as we prepare to parent, as we actively parent, when the time comes to let our children soar on their own.

Genesis 22:12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

Precious Savior, For me, today’s verses are about trusting You with what we hold most dear–our loved ones, who came from You and will one day return to You. You want us to trust You and put You first because You know the strength and wisdom we will need to accomplish the task You have set before us. Help us to trust You, no matter how frightening the path. Thank You for loving those we love more than we are capable of loving. Always. Amen.

Genesis 22:13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 22:6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 

Commentary talks about these verses as “a remarkable picture of the work of Jesus at the cross, thousands of years before it happened…” And as much as I can understand where commentary is coming from with the association, these verses immediately bring to my mind other, much darker associations.

Genesis 22:7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

There have been many stories over the years of parents who have hurt or killed their children, claiming that God called them to do it. When I read these verses, I don’t read about obedience, I see fear from the child, even if the child is 35 years old. I see pain and anguish and hurt on all sides.

Genesis 22:8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

Precious Savior, I know this is not where you want my mind to go. Help me rid myself of this association so I can focus on Your true lessons here–faith, obedience, putting You and Your call first, even when it is difficult, knowing that You will provide and that You keep Your promises, even when the way is so very dark. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 22:9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 22:1a Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

There is so much that makes me uncomfortable about today’s scripture, but since this test plays out over ten more verses, I’ll deal with that tomorrow. What I want to focus on today is a fun fact that I learned as I read commentary on verses 1 and 2: Genesis 22:2 is the first mention of the word love in the Bible, and it references the love between a parent and a child, a father and a son.

Genesis 22:1b “Here I am,” he replied.

To my way of thinking, the Bible is a love letter from God to man, so I find it fascinating that I am 22 chapters in and only now hearing the word love. Not only that, but the word love is in the context of this test. God is saying, essentially, prove to Me that you love Me more than you love your son, prove to Me that you fully trust Me to keep my promises by your willingness to sacrifice this promise that I have finally fulfilled in Isaac.

Genesis 22:2a Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.

Precious Savior, I have so much difficulty with today’s scripture. Forgive me. Help me. Thank You for this first mention of love in the Bible, for the bond between parent and child, for the love that You have for each of Your children, a love that surpasses all understanding. Help me seek, learn, understand as I read Your scripture. Amen.

Genesis 22:2b Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” 

Have a blessed day.