Summary of the chapters

146

[ 10 J The Blessing of the Nations

A lthough the first chapter of Genesis affirms that humans were created in the divine im age and blessed b y God, the disobedience of Adam and Eve in t he Garden of Eden resulted in a se rie s o f divine cu rses th at radi- ca lly a ffected human existence. The tragic event~ res_ulting ~rom the _broken relationship between God and hum ankind arc highlighted m Genesis 4--11. After the divi sion of humanity into different peoples an? nati o ns, Abraham · · d d as the one th rough wh om God ' s blessing will once agam extend 1s 111tro uce , - . · 11 d to humans. Genesis looks forward to all familie s and nattons be111g J csse

thro ugh Abraham and his royal "seed."

Introduction . . ce ts in the book of Genesis, as rcfkcccd

Blessing and cursing a rc important con p " (b - k) J" ·urse" ( 'arar) occur b b f "bless ara' an c . by th e fact that th e H e rew ver s or . I N II · 1 Genesis blessin g 1s

d . . . ecnve y. o rm a y u

sevent)'-three a n nine nmes resp . . . h h . 1· f o r To be blessed, the f

d g wtt ts c ts av • associated with God ' s avor a n _curshtn d Consequently, God ' s ble_ssing

. b h nony with t e onor. h. ., recipient must c at an . h . ked arc under is cu rse;. h

k b righteous ; t e w1c d extends only to those w o sec to e . h fortunes. When Go ere-

. f I ang111g um a n bl d Genesis presents a picture o c 1, . d I . favor and were esse

ated t h e first generatio n o f humans, the~ en JOY~ b/•:vents that rook place in by him (1:28) . Soon this situatio n was d1~rup:~mand not to eat from th~ crcc the Garden of Eden. For disobeying Godd s co d Eve were d ivinel y pu111shed

d d ·1 A a m an of the knowledge of goo an ev1 '

• T 11 1 H 1 , ~ , , ~ c. o I r 111 N" 1 1 u i,. s

11 v·iri o us curses. Some of the immed iate consequences a re d escri bed chroug • in Genesis 4-1 J. Hcrc _we o l~sc rvc the tota l J est_ruction of the hum an race

_ t for Noah and h is family and the later d1v1s1on of human s into differ- cxcep f

ti. o ns. Altho ugh t he accounts o the flood an d of t he cower of Babel cnt na . . .

1 i·ght chc disastrous conseq uences o f cvokmg God 's d ispleasure, with the

lug 11 . h b . ca ll of Ab raha m in Ge~es1s 12 t e way_ cgms to ~pen fo r humans once mo re

, •oy God 's favo r. S1g111fica nrly, as illu strated 111 the record of the lives of co enJ Jacob and J oseph , God ' s blessin g is mediated th rough the "fi rstborn Isaac, • ' seed " descended from Abraham.

Creator and Creation in Har m o n y

The ope ning section of the book o f Genesis desc ribes how God created t he heavens and the ea rth . It stresses the ease wi th which everyt hing wa s made and chat no thin g happened by chance: everything was made according t o design. By merely speaki ng, God created time in th e fo rm of "day" and "night" (1:3-5). Next he made t h ree di stinctive regions, th e sky (1:6- 8) , che land, and the seas ( 1 :9-11 ), a nd as appro pri ate pl aced in each plants (I :11-13), stars and planets (l: 14--19), fish and birds (1:20-23), livi ng creatures (1:24--26) , and humans (1:27-3 1). God ' s final verdict that every th in g " was very good " (1:31) echoes a comm o n refrain in the chapter, " God saw th at (it) was good" (1:4, 10, 12, 18 , 21 , 25). With remarkable brevity and sk ill, the na rrato r co nveys a picture of total harmony between God the C reato r and the wo rld, his creation.

The creation o f human beings comes as the climax to God's creative activi ty: "So God created mankind in h is own image, in the image of God he created him , ma le and female he created them" (1:27). This comment is immedi ately followed by the remark that "God blessed them and sa id to them , 'Be fruitful and increase in num be r; fill the earth and subdue it . Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the ai r and over every living creature that moves on the ground ' " ( I :28) . Un like all other creatures, h umans alone enjoyed the pr ivi lege of being made in the divine image a nd having a special relationship w ith God. Moreover, blt:ssed by God they were to increase numerically and rule over the earth as his representatives.

. Although God's crea t ive activity end s on t he sixth d ay, t he accou nt of cre- ation concludes by focusing on the seventh day, in which God rested from all work (2:1-3). Of significance is the comm ent, "God blessed the seventh day ~nd made it holy, because on it he res ted from all the wo rk of creating that c had done" (2:3). The seventh day is set apart from all the other days of the

week because rest is viewed as the cl im ax o f the work pattern established by God. As reflect ed in God ' s ow n experience, the opportu nity to rest, h aving completed ' k · one s wor , 1s a sacred blessing.

147

148

I II I ,\1 \ I' -, II I \I I ' t i I T II I J1 I ' I \ I I ti t II

Jn the Garden of Eden

f C r •-Jt io n in Genes is I : 1-2:3 is fo ll owed by a seco nd in 2·4--2 The ,,cco unr o "· . _ . . _ . . , f d' · . . · 5. ,11 .1 h firsr :i.ccounr gives a cos mi c p1cru rc o Go s act1 v1ty, the seco i d . \X 11 c r c · . d h 1 ,s

I • do wn to ca rrh , po rrray m g Go as t e o ne w ho p e rsona ll y 11 Id muc 1 mor<: . . h . 1 10 s

I f 0 111 C l-,v a nd brea thes life 111 ro 1111 (2:7) . Th e na rrative al so r

1 r 1e ma n r · , . . eve a s I G I Provides rhc n g hr e nvironm ent fo r t h e m a n (2:8-17) a nd a su · bl r 1a r ,o, 1ra e

compa nio n (2: J S-25) . Alrho ug h the t wo acco un ts ~f _hum anity' s creatio n differ in sry lc. rhcy complemcnr each o ther, bo th e mphas1Z1ng the speci al relatio nshi p rh:ir ex isred berwee n the L O RD God and th e first m a n a nd wo m a n.

Un fo rtunately, rh e ha rmo ny o f c rea tio n is soo n b ro_ken by the serpent, who pe rs u:ides rhc wo m:in :ind, throug h he r, the m a n t o di sob ey G od ' s co mmand by ea rin g '•fro m rh e tree o f the k~owled ge o_f good a nd evi l''. (2:17). Altho ugh few d era ils a re g ive n , th e na rra tive m a kes 1t d ea r th a t eatmg from this tree radical] )' cha nges the m a n a nd the wom a n . O nl y a t thi s s tage d o they become conscio us o f their own n a kedness.

When rh e LOR D God nex t vis its th e ga rde n, the m a n a nd the woma n are un able ro hide wha t h as t a ken place. Awa re o f th eir act ions, G od prono unces judgmenr on all the pa rticipa nts. No lo n ger d oes God 's blessing favor the man and rhe wo ma n ; now they m u st endure th e con sequen ces o f his displeasure. As a result of t he ir broken rela tio n s hip w ith God, Ada m a nd Eve a re expelled fro m Ede n.

The co ntents o f God 's p ron o unce m e nts aga in s t the serpent , the woman, a nd th e ma n a rc signi fica nt. Rega rding the ser pe nt he st a tes:

Beca use you have do ne th is, Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild anima ls!

Yo u will crawl o n your bell y and you w ill ear d ust all the days of your life.

And I will p ut enmity between yo u a nd the wo man and between your o ffsp ring [seed] a nd hers [her seed/;

he will crush your head, and you w ill strike h is heel.

Gen . 3: 14-15

f · · h · h b th e e nmity that w ill exist 0 particu la r 111teres t er e 1s t e comm en t a o u t d h " d" f th wo m a n Un fo rru-bet ween t he " seed " o f the se rpent a n t e see o e ' ·

. b • · th at exist s berween na tely, m ost comme nta t o rs mi ss the o v1o u s connecn o n '

. . - d " . .b Hes of tra nscendence and I. By placing these rwo accounts sid e by side, the ivmc arm '.

1 . h _ h - • ,porta ncc

. . . d d · r rhar l11gh 1g ts c eir 111 immanence arc given equ al weight an prcscnrc 111 a manne · whi le avoiding confusion.

a 'f II I I\ I I , , I , C. () I I 11 1. :-,J \ TI O ;,,. :,

I . . ,fcrc nce to "seed " a nd t he fact t ha t Genesis h ighl ights a parti cular line

r 1Is re b ) T h . . . . of "seed" (sec cl~ap. 9 a ove · e_ m1pl,canon Is surely that rhe divine pro-

e m cn r agamst t he serpent w,II be fulfilled thro ugh th e di vi nel y chosen 110 unc , fa mi ly li neage.· . . . .

God 's judgment on t he woman 1s directed agamsr two important aspects of her life: her ability to produce ch ildren and he r relationship to her husband:

I wil l make you r pains in child bea ring very severe; wit h painfu l labor you will give birth to children .

You r des ire w ill be for your hushand, and he w ill ru le over yo u.

Gen. 3: 16

Since in the future ever y bi r t h w ill be accomplished only t hrough pain , this pronouncement p artly reverses God ' s in it ial blessing t h at hu mans should be frui tful a nd mc rease 111 number (1:28).

The man ' s p unish m ent is a lso designed to cause h im severe discomfort:

Cursed is the gro und because of you ; through painful toil you will car from it all the days of your life.

It wi ll produce tho rns and thistles fo r you , a nd you w ill eat the plants of the field.

By the sweat of your brow yo u wi ll cat you r food

unti l you retu rn to the ground, sin ce from it you we re taken;

for dust you are and to d ust you will return .

G en. 3: 17- 19

God o riginally inte nded t he ma n 's work to be a responsibility undertaken with joy a nd sa t isfaction; n ow it becomes h ard labor. On rhe basis of 2:7 it is obvious that the LORD God intended there to be a close and harmonious relationship between t he ma n a n d t he gro und; t hi s is evident in the Hebrew original, where t he _wo rds for "man" and "ground ," 'iidiim and 'iidama respectively, are very similar.-

1 By d isrupting the m a n ' s rel a t ion shi p with t he grou nd, God en sures

tha t hum ans a rc n o t a bl e to enj oy, like the ir c rea to r, rest from labo r. The sto r y of the fa ll brings to a bi t ter end t he ha rmony that was t he h allma rk

o f G o d 's crea tive activity. In pa rti cu la r we w itness a b reakd ow n in relation s between a n im a ls an d hum a n s, bet ween men and wom en, and most im portant o f all, between God a nd hu ma n ity. Genesis 3 describes d ramatic changes to

2. See pages 138-45. 3 - We shall have mo re co S:l)' about the chc:mc of "land" in ~-hap. 11 below.

149

I 111 ,\l ' I'\ I II I Ml' 01 1 11 1 l'I '\ I , 1 1 lll' II

d Id People no longer know God' s blessing but must now

chc create wor • f . . come , .· 1 his displeasure. The final act o Judgment is the expulsio f to term s ,, it 1 I , h , n o

J woman from Eden. Not on y arc t ey prevented from eatin f chcmanan lldf h go f l·fc (3·22)· they are also expe e rom t e place where they h the tree o 1 • • . ave

. d close relationship with God. As we shall observe below Genesi·s 4-t J cnJOYC a ' . . , . . . ' , , mainl}' on the remblc consequences of humanity s mitia\ disobedie ,ocuses f h \'f . \'k . h nee

d 'des" grim picture o w at i e is i e wit out God' s blessing O 1 3 n prov, ,, . . . . n y

with the call of Abraham m_ 12:1-3 ?owe be?i~ to see ~ brighter prospect, with some humans once agam expencncmg divme blessmg 111 their lives.

Outside Eden

After the departure of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, the n ex t epi, sode in Genesis focuses on the murder of Abel by his brother Cain. Because Abel enjoys God' s favor, Cain becomes jealous and kills him . As punishment, Ca in is cursed by God; the ground "will no longer yield its crops" for him, and he will become a "restless wanderer on the earth" (4: 11-12) . This marks an extension of the c urse imposed on Cain's parents in Eden and highlights the fact that every unrighteous action alienates humankind further from the ground, making it even more difficult to cultivate food and so experience

divinely intended rest . The Genesis story reveals that God's curse on the ground has brought

increase d pain for humankind. Lamec h particularly highlights this in a brief comment concerning his son Noah . He names him Noah because "he will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD h as cursed" (5 :29). Thus when the earth is re-created after the flood , Noah is described as "a man of the soil [ground]" (9:20), implying that he enjoys greater harmony with the ground than did his im -

medi a te ancestors. The concept of curse underlies the entire story of the flood. God' s deci sion

to wipe humankind from the face of the earth is motivated by the fact tha t he "saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the cart!~, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the hum an heart was only evil all the time" (6:5). However, Noah finds favor in God' s eyes and.' together with some of his family, is spared from destruction. When Noah disembar~s from the ark and offers sacrifices to God, the LORD remarks, "Never _agamf

. f h h h every inclinatton o will I cu rse the ground because o umans, even t oug h the human heart is evil from childhood" (8:21 ). The curse mentifoned e~c

d . h G d f Ed Rather it re c rs to t e is not the o ne pronounce 111 t e ar en o en. ' . f flood . The continued exist ence of "thorns and thistles" an? the necessity ~r humankind to toil with sweat indicate tha t the original divine curse on ~ ~e

d . ti at he will never ag,un

ground has not been canceled . H e rc Go promises 1

150

T11 1 ll, 1 ... ... \ t,l(i 0 1 THI NAl' IONS

d O ther flood upo n the ea rth .• Later this is confirmed in the covenant

sen an outlined in 9:8- l 7.

I ssing we should note that the story of the flo od exhibits close parallels

n pa f . Th . . f h . I he initial account o creatio n. e n smgo t c waters marks a return to wit ' t . d h b . . f . . 7 f

h Os chat existe att e cgmnmg o ncation ( : l l-24; c . I :2) . Later the the c a . ' . dry land emerges from _the waters (8: 1- 14; cf. 1:9~.10). Fmally, God' s blessmg of Noah and his sons m 9: I echoes closely 1 :28: Be fruitful and mcrease m

bcr and fill the earth." Although these parallels suggest that the flood story num d k ' I . f h hould be understoo as mar mg t 1e re-creation o t e earth , it is apparent shat human nature is not renewed. \V/e sec this reflected in God's comments in ~:ll and 9:6, which draw attention respectively to the evil inclinat ion of the human heart a nd the likelihood that murders will still occur.

The to pic of blessing is prominent in 9:20-29. H e re the narrati ve focuses on the contrasting actions of Ham an d his brothers Shem and Japheth toward their father, Noah. Though Ham sees " his father naked ," Shern a nd Japheth cake great care to cover their father w ithout seeing him naked. When Noah awakes, he pronounces a c urse on H am ' s son Canaan, but blesses Shem and Japhcth . Of significance is the fact that this is the first occasion in Genesis when a hum an pronou nces a blessing or a curse; previously it was always God who blessed o r cursed. Yet in cursing Canaan and blessing Shem and Japheth , Noah' s words obviously carry divine a uthority. For the first time we meet something that is repeated later in Genesis: those within the chosen line of " seed" are divinely empowe red t o bless or curse others.

-' I

Noah' s speeches highlight a nother important motif in the book of Genesis, which concerns the descendants of Canaan and Shem. Although Canaan's descendants are destined to a future of servitude (9:25) , Noah indicates that the line of Shem will enjoy a special relatio nship with God (9:26-27). Later, we sec God promising to Abraham, a descendant of Shem, that he and his descendants will take possession of the land occupied by th e descendants of Canaan (15 :18-21).5 Noah also predicts th at Japheth will be blessed through having a close rela tionship with Shem.

Although blessing or cursing is not mentioned explicitly in the story of the tower of Babel, it is clear from the conclusion that the cre ation o f different languages and the scat te ring of the peoples over the whole earth represe nt further divin e curses on the huma n race. God' s punishment is intended to preven t human beings from wo rking together in harmony.

4. The syntax of the Hehrcw original indicates that here God p romises not to ad,\ to the cu rse pronounced against the ground in Gen. 3:17. Furthermore, the H ebrew word fo r " curse"' "'8:21 comes from a different root than the one used in 3:17 .

(

I

5. Among the various n at ions listed in Gen . 15: 19-21, the following are named as descendants of Canaan in 10: 15-18 : Hittites, Amoritcs, Canaa n ices, G irgashitcs, and Jebusites. Furthermo re, IO: l9 d raws attentio n to the fact that the borders of the Canaanite cla ns reached as far as Sodom and Gomorrah (cf. 14: 1- 24; 18: 16-29).

r TIii \I I' Ill 1 111 1' 1 'I \ 1 1 I ll II

I . . < f hum ·tn existeni:e under God's i:urse, in G enesis 3-11

T 1e p1cru1c > • . . . • . , • _ .. . , con- ·! 1 with the 1111t1 al ,1ccou nr o f t h<: d1\ me ne.1t1on and blessiii f tr,1sts s 1a rp Y . . . _ go k . d Th•' inrr·iror however, makes it very evident that God 's di·s I human 111 • ~ • • '. . • • P ca-

.. t ~rbitr-ir)' but is 111 proportion to the extent of human wickedn . sure •~ no d • • • • ess. I I 11 Ge nesis J-11 i:oncentrates on the d1vme pu111shment of wi· k <l Yet a t 1oug . . c e

I the inrra tive reveals here a nd there that God still displays mercy . llflllans, • ' . . . Ill the face o f unrighteous behavio r. We s~e thi s 111 the clothing of Adam and Eve (3:2 1 ), the placing o f a mark on Cam (4 : 13-15) , the saving of Noah and his family from the floo d (6:8-8:19), ~nd_ the mak111g of an eternal covenant with every Jiving creature (9: 1-1 7). S1gmficantly, th e remaining chapters of Genesis develop further th e possibility that humans may once again know God's blessing in their li ves.

Abraham and the Blessing of the Nations

The 16/edot heading in 11:27 introduces a new section in Genesis, which con- cludes in 25: 11. The central character of these chapters is Abraham , and there is good reason to view him as the most important human participant in the whole of Genesis. After some brief preliminary details in 11:27-32, the account of his life begins with a short but highl y significant divine speech that marks rhe beginning of a m a jor new stage in God 's relationship with humans. At the heart of this speech is God's desire to bless humanity and so reverse the negative effects of the divine curses under which they live. The LORD says to Abraham, "Leave yo ur country, your people, and your father 's household and go to the land I will show you, so that I may make you into a great nation and bless you and make you r name great. Be a blessing, so that I may bless rhos~ ~ho bless you and curse the one who disdains you , and so that all the fam1hes of the gro~nd may be blessed through you" (12:1-3, my _trans.),

6 A number of _P?ints

are n oteworthy. First, the fulfillment of the promises listed here 1s cond'.twnal o n Abraham's obedience. God commands him to leave the security o f his own countr y, people, and family and " b e a bless ing." Since the divine curses are due

. . . • h di · · h G d expects Abraham to be to human d1sobed1ence 1t 1s ar y s urpnsmg t at o . . ' . d h · h t Abraham will become a obedient before bless111g him. Secon , t e promise t a .

. . . ·11 h d ndants who will possess grea t nation 1mpl1es that he w1 ave numerous esce h their own land. Although the fulfillment of this lies in the diStant future, atht ~

. b . d . the way· Abraham as o utset we need to obser ve th a t ma1 o r arners stan 111 ·

. ment First, the imperative form 6. Two aspects of the translation adopted here require com · .

11 b . bl ·ss·ing "Second,

. . . d NIV d " nd }'OU w1 e" e . wehyeh (vehyeh ), "be," in 12:2d 1s mamtame ; rea s, a . " ,, d "be a blessing"

f h h · crauves go an · special consideration has been given to the act t at t c 1111 P . II expresses purpose . h . I hortat1ve norma Y are both followed by cohorranves. In sue co ntexts t ,e co . " _,, d " be a blessi ng" arc

• h · pennves go an or result. To highlight this syntactic arrangement, t e 1m • fo llowed by "so that. "

. ·I ilJrcn nor land . Third , the reference to "a great na me" alludes back ·1ther Li f b I d . 11" ry of the rower o Ba e an possibly also to the " men o f renow n" the sro . .

to . d in 6:4. The peo ple of Babel tri ed to establish a "name" fo r them- 1ent1one I b h ·11 11 'thout God 's hep (11:4), ut t e LOR D w1 make Abraham famo us.

sclvcstlGo d promises that those who "d isdain" Abraham will be divinely fourt ~ ,, Implicit in this is a gua rantee of protection for Abraham and victo r y "cur~e- -·enemies. The wording of the H ebrew o rigi nal possibly also indicates over

11 ,:e reas a few will di sdain Abraham , a majority will bless him. Fifth, the

th_at w of the passage comes in the concluding words that " all the families o f clinlaX und may be blessed through you." Here for the first t ime we meet an the gro · h f G · Th h Ab h d h" " d " .d hat is prominent 111 t e rest o enes1s. roug ra am an 1s see , 1

_eat shall observe below, God's blessing will be mediated to humanity. Sixth, as wd e ly ing the fulfillment of all these promises is the establishment of a special un er . . relationship between God and Abraham, o n account of :,vh1ch Ab~aham will b blessed .7 The promises will be fulfilled as a result of d1v111e blessing. e The the me of blessing is also prominent in the divine oath in 22:16-18,

wh ich m a rks the conclusion to the main part of the Abraham narrative .8

Here the LORD declares to Abraham , " I swear by m yself, declares the LORD , that because you have done this and have n o t withheld you r son, your o nly son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants [seed] as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendant [seed] will rake p ossession of the gat e of his enemies, and through your descendant [seed] all nations of the earth will be blessed , b ecause you have o beyed me" (22:16-18, my trans.). Although the wording h ere diffe rs from that found in 12:l-3, the same b asi c ideas unde rlie b o th speeches. Yet 12:1-3 marks the begi nning of the Abraham story, and the divine oath in 22:16-18 comes at the clima x and looks beyond Abraham to his "seed." Unfortunately, the precise identi t y of this "seed" is not always clearly recognized. While the first men- tio n of "seed" d enotes "descendants" in the plural , the remaining references refe r to a s ingle descendant. The shift from many to one is favored b y the sy nta x of the Hebrew text and is in keeping with the overall aim of Genesis to highlight a royal lineage.~

All the material in the Abraham story relates in one way or another to the promises highli gh ted in the opening verses of Genesis 12 and so to the theme

7. Abraham is later designated the friend of God, in 2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41 :8. 8. The Abraham narrative falls into two sections, separated by a brief genealogy in 22:20-24.

The main narrative is 11 :27-22: 19, with 23: 1-25: 11 fo rming an appendix. The divine speeches in 12: 1-3 and 22: 16-18, which come at the beginning and end of the main section, for m what 15 known technically as an inclusio, marking the boundaries of the narrative. Although the promises in 12: 1-3 arc conditioned on Abraham 's obeying God, the oath in 22: 16-18 comes as a reward for Abraham' s obedience, confirming the fulfillment of the earlier divine promises. For a fullt:r discussion, sec chap. 12 below.

9- See T. D. Alexander, "Further Observations on the Term 'Seed' in Genesis," TvnBu/ 48 ( l 997): 363-67. .

-t

., Il l .\I \ I .,_ T II I , 1 I ' d I I II I JI I ' I \ I I ti l II

of blessing. Some episodes focus on Abrah,1111 and his descendants ' possessing rhc lanJ of Can,i,in (e.g. , 13: 1-18;_ 15 :7-21 ); others are concerned with Abra-

h . , 1 k of a son and rhe establishment of Isaac as his leg1t1111ate heir (e ,1m s ac

1 . k d . 1 h . .g., IS: l--6; l6: l-l8: l5; 20:J-21:2 1). lnrcr11_1 e w1t1t eseep1sodesarepassages

rcfkcring rhe fulfillment of God 's pro mise that those who_ bless Abraham will know God 's favor and th ose who act aga mst Abraham will experience God 's displeasure. On rhe one hand , Pharaoh and Ab1melech are divinely punished for raking Sarah ( 12: 17; 20: 18) , and the eastern kmgs are defeated when Abra- ham resc;es Lot (14: J-16). On the other hand , Melchizedek blesses Abraham and receives in return a tenrh of everything captured from the eastern kings ( l4:18-20). Much later we learn that Abimelech enters into a covenant with Abraham in order ro ensure hi s own prosperity (21 :22-34). Finally, to underline that the divine promises to Abraham have indeed been fulfilled , insofar as this is possible during his lifetime, Genesis 24 begins with the comment "The LORD had blessed him [Abraham] in every way" (24:1 ; cf. 24:35 ).

Blessing in the Remainder of Genesis

The theme of blessing, which is so important in the Abraham story, continues to play a major role in the remaining chapters of Genesis. Among the different aspects of blessing introduced in the Abraham narrative and then continued and developed, the following are the most important.

first, God 's blessing is closely associated with prosperity. This figures promi- nentl y in a number of episodes in the Abraham narrative. When Abraham returns from Egypt, we read of a conflict between the servants of Abraham and Lot because both men have become very wealthy (13:2, 5; cf. 12:16) . Later, after rescuing Lot from the eastern kings, Abraham refuses to take anythmg from the king of Sodom lest he should claim to have made Abraham nch (14:21-23; cf. 15:1, which attributes Abraham 's reward to the LORD). In Gen- esis 24 Abraham 's servant not only presents valuable gifts to Rebekah and her family (24:22 53) but also directly associates his master's prospenty wi th

th e

' ' b d I and he has LoRD 's blessing: "The LORD has blessed my master a un ant Y,

. . h d 1 ·1 nd gold male and become wealthy. He has given him s eep an cart e, si ve r a '

I d d k " (24 35) In the same context we may

female servants, and came s an on eys : · . . . 4

.29_31). observe that Laban likewise attributes wealth to divine blessmg (

2 · J b

. . h 1eerning Isaac aco , Prosperity is also linked to blessmg m t e accounts COi 'h .

. d b . fl the narrator emp as1zes and Joseph. Although it is only mentwne ne Y, Wh'l J ob that Isaac's great wealth is due to God's blessing. (26 :l2-l3)d. , bl

1 e . ag\e

. It of Go s essm flees to Paddan Aram with few possesswns, as a resu . . . . f at-

. . 32·3-21) and this ll1 spite o • returns to Canaan a very nch man (30 :43, · ' f Joseph tempts by his uncle Laban to limit his wealth (3 ld:,

6 -b

9 l). ,~hetshtoa;t:prospers

h • · h h Go s ess1ng •

also revolves around the idea t at it 1st roug

p

T11 1a B L 1- -.s 1 :-, c-; O F T Ii i- NflT I ON S

. E. pt Although he begins life there as a slave (39·1--6) and I t · • 1 111 , gy . · a er IS un1ust y int prisoned (39:6-23) , he eventually becomes governor of the country second

ly to Pharaoh (41 :39-43). Throughout the patriarchal stori es prosperity · . on d" . bl . io 1s I

ely tied ro 1vme essmg. Cos d bl . . l . d Second, Go 's essmg 1s a so associate with fertility. We see this in Genesis I , where the first reference t~, God ' s _blessing the man and the woman is directly followed by the command Be fruttful and increase in numbern ( I :28) . This dose association of blessing and fertility is echoed in 9: 1: "Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, ' Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. " ' The same phrases are used when first Isaac and then God bless Jacob in 28 :3 and 35:11 respective!~ (cf. 48:4). In the Abraham story the lack of fertilit y is the setung agamst which the LORD promises that Abraham will become a great nation. Thereafter we have frequent reminders that the "seed" of Abraham will be as numerous as the dust of the earth (13:16; 28:14), the stars of the heavens (15:5; 22:17; 26:4) , and the sand of the seashore (22:17; 32:12). The topic of fertility is also prominent in the story of Jacob, where it dominates the competitive relationship between Leah and Rachel (29:31-30:24), and on a different level the relationship between Jacob and Laban (30:25-43). Here also fertility is linked to divine blessing (cf. 29:32-33 ; 30:6, 17-18, 20 , 22-24, 27-30). Throughout Genesis the ability to reproduce is viewed as a sign of divine blessing. 11

Third and most important, the power to mediate God' s blessing to oth- ers is passed on through the chosen line of patriarchs. This is highlighted in Genesis in two ways: through God' s renewing his special relationship with the head of each generation, and through a unique blessing that each father bestows on his "firstborn" son.

In the patriarchal stories the LORD renews his special relationship with the head of the chosen family in each generation. The promises associated with God' s desire to bless Abraham in 12:1-3, and later confirmed by oath in 22: 16-18, are passed on to his firstborn "seed. " When Isaac is faced with a famine in the land of Canaan , the LORD appears to him and says,

Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for a while, and l will be with you and bless you. For to you and your de- scendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath l swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants [seed] as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them [your seed] all these l:tnds, and through your off- spring [seed] all nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed me

I 0. The idea that God blesses the righteous materially is impo rtant in the OT. Yet the OT counterba lances this belief by teaching that the righteous may suffer (e .g., the story of Job) and

that the wicked may prosper (e.g. , Ps. 49). 11. The reference to the rapid increase o f the Israelites in Exo d. 1:7 provides an important

link betwee n the boo k s of Genesis and Exodus.

6

1'111 .\l -\ 1.' Ttti ,\ 11 ~ U I 1 111 Pl ;\' 1 -\ T ltl l°II

nd did cvervrhing I required of him , keeping my commands, n1y decre d a . esa 11 my insrrucrions. (26 :2- 5)

'foch of rhis speech echoes 22:16-18 , highlighting Abraham 's wit1i·n " . . gness to obey God. Jn rh1s way God encourages Isaac to obey h1111 . As in 12:1-J G d' blessing through the fulfillment of the divine promises depends on Isaac's ' b

0 . s

. . . . o eying him a nd remammg Ill Canaan. Genesis 26, the only chapter to focus excl - I

. . , us1ve y on Isaac, contains three exphc1t reference~ w God s blessing him (26: 12, 24, 29).

The srory of Jacob also includes a d_1vme speech conrammg promises re- garding numerous descendants, possession of the land, and the blessing of II peoples on earth. It occurs when Jacob is fleeing to Paddan Aram to esca;e from his brother Esau. God says,

I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. f will give you and your descendants [seed] the land on which you are lying. Your descendants f seed] will be like th e dust of the ea rth , and you will spread our to rhe wesr and to the easr, to the north and to the sou th. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring [seed] . I am with you and will watch m·er you wherever you go, a nd I will bring you back to rhis land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you . (28:13-15)

Although ir is not specifically mentioned, rhe contents of the speech, which closely resemble earlier divine statements, clearly imply that God will bless Jacob. In response,Jacob vows that if God will indeed protect him and bring him back safely to his father's house, " then the LORD will be my God and this stone rhar I have set up as a pillar will be God 's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth" (28:21-22). Many years later when Jacob returns from Paddan Aram, God appears to him again, blesses him (35:9), and states,

I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a commu- nity of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants. The land I gave ro Abraham and Isaac I also give ro you, and I will give thi s land to your descendants after you. (35:11-12; cf. 48:3-4)

Here God confirms Jacob as the heir to the covenant earlier established wi th

Abraham and Isaac. In the light of these divine speeches, it is apparent that Abraham, Isaa c,

and Jacob all e njoy the same privileged relationship with the LORD. Though

Abraham and Isaac have other children , they are not part of the chosen lmeage

and so do not have the same unique relationship with God. 12

. d I' · I states thatthc covcnanl 12. This is highlighted, for example, m Gen. 17, where Go exp icit Y I

1 .

1 e hlesseJ

. . I 7·19 21) Al h h Is ,mac is icr will be established through Isaac and not Ishmae ( I - - · r oug by God (17:20), he does not enjoy the same standing as lsaac.

a T II r B L 1:"' s 1 :-. G l H r 11 1 N " T Io :,,i ~

As a result of this specialh~elation_ship, the patriarchs are able to mediate d' blessing to others. T 1s blessing, however, is in direct propo rtion to

Go s · h d h . " d" d b h how the patnarc s an t e1r see _are treate y o t ers. Apart from the e,w niples in rhe Abraham story considered above, the stories of Jacob and Joseph contain funher 1llustrat1ons. Laban learns by divin a tion that the LOR D has blessed him because of Jaco b (30:27). Potiphar and his h o use- hold prospe r o n account of Josep h (39:2--6), as doe s the pr iso n warden (J9:20-23). Later, '.ollowing J oseph's ap~ointment as governor over Egypt, not only is the entire natio n able to survive a seven-yea r famine (47:13-26) but other nation s also benefit from hi s wise leadership (41:56-57). Finally, when Pharaoh o ffe rs Joseph ' s relat ives "the best p a rt of the land" (47:6), Jacob blesses him (47:7-10) .

The other way in which the Genesis narrative reveals that the power to bl ess others is granted to succeeding patriarchs is through the paternal blessing o f the firstborn. Clearly it was the custom that the firstborn son should receive from his father a special blessing that gave him privileges not enjoyed by other sons. This idea lies at the heart of the account of Jacob 's deceiving his father, Isaac, in order to obtain the blessing about to be given to Esau (27:1--40). So important is this blessing to J acob that he is prepared to face both h is father's displeasure, should he be found out (27 :11-12) , and his brother's anger at bemgdepnved of what by custom was rightfully his (cf. 27:41). Although Isaac becomes fully aware that Jacob has deceived him, he subsequently blesses him again before sending him to find a wife in Paddan Aram.13 This suggests that Isaac w illingl y accepts what has happened (28:1-5).

While some readers may feel that, by deceiving his father a nd stealing hi s brother' s blessing, Jacob acts immorally, various details in the narrative sug- ?est tha t Jacob ' s actions are excused, at least in part, by the narrato r. First, it is emphasized that Rebekah instigates the deception (27:5-10); she a lso states that she will accept full responsibility if the deception is discovered (27:13). S_econd, on a prior occasion, Esau was persuaded by Jacob to sell his birth-

~ight for_ some stew (25 :29-34) . Although Jacob's exploitation of hi s hungry rather is less than commendable, the n a rrator underscores Esau ' s negative

attitude toward his birthright: " So Esau despised his birthright" (25:34). This sho rt episode reveals much about the aspirations of the two brothers. Esau

h~s- little regard for his privileged position as fir stborn son and heir to the divme_ly promised roya l lin e; Jacob desires to have this privilege more than

anythmg else. The contrasting attitudes of the two brothers toward God's

~!ans for Abraham's lineage set them apart . Although Jacob at this stage is a

~wed characte r, he will later be transformed through a dramatic encounter

\~i th

God (32:22-32) and subsequently renamed " Israel" (35:9-15 ). Third, t e narrator appears to be critical of Isaac for allowing his appetite for wild

13 · Interestingly, this blessing echoes Gen. 1:22, 28; 9: I, 7.

158

1"111 M A I N 1"111 M l ~ OI 1· 111 Pl Nl. Al I Ul. 11

, to influem:c his attitude toward Esau (25:28). By favoring Esa I game:: . . . . . . ' u, saac emingly ignores the 1mpl1catro11s of the d1v111e statement made bef h

se - ·11 b b . ore t c birrh of the twin boys that Esau w1 _ e su serv1ent ,to Jacob (25:23). Founh the concluding comments of Genesis 26, that Esau s w1~es were a source of grief ro Isaac and Rebekah (26 :34-35) , suggest that Esau 1s not worth f h special paternal blessing. In th e light of these factors, all the family 111~:bt e share responsibility for Jacob 's deception . Finally, later in the story \ hers

·1 d f f t· · ' v en Jacob and Esau are reconc1 e a ter years o 1v111g apart, Jacob gives t h" brother a "blessing/present" (33: 1 l ). ' 4 Though this is not the paternal ble~sin

1 ;

that was bestowed on Jacob by Isaac, Jacob seeks to partially compensate 1 . brother, Esau, for having taken what rightfully belonged to him. lls

The subject of paternal blessing also figures prominently in Genesis 48 and 49. In the first of these we hav~ the account of how Jacob blesses Joseph's two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Not only does Jacob deliberately give the younger son, Ephraim, the superior blessing (48:17-20) , bur also Ephraim receives the rights of the firstborn that should have gone to his father's oldest brother, Reuben (cf. 1 Chron. 5:1). This event established the tradition that through the tribe of Ephraim, God would create a royal dynasty. Undoubt- edly this idea influenced later developments, especially the choice of Joshua as a leader and the importance of Shiloh , in the tribal region of Ephraim, as the location for the central sanctuary. All this changed , however, when God rejected the Ephraimites due to their wrongdoing and chose David as king and Jerusalem as his temple-city (Ps. 78:59-72).

In Genesis 49 we have a long list of pronouncements that Jacob makes regarding his twelve sons. The narrator's comment in 49:28 indicates that these are given in the context of Jacob' s blessing his sons, with each one receiving "the blessing appropriate to him . " Clearly the content of these blessings reflects Jacob 's attitude toward each son. Without examining them in detail, it is significant that the pronouncements concerning the eldest brothers-Reuben , Simeon, and Levi-are all negative, whereas those given to Judah and Joseph are very favorable. In the light of the special interest that Genesis has in the theme of blessing, Jacob 's comments about Joseph are noteworthy:

Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall.

With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility.

. . . dS . h J bCycle (Gcn 25·19-35:22),"//S 14. M.A. F1shbane, "Composmon an tructure 111 t e aco · . ·

1 . the kc)'

26 (1975): 15-38. Fishbane highlights how th e story is enriched by a word P_1ay rnvf~' v(b 111

~ -k· ._ cf 34 27 36) I "hless111g/g1 t era a, · terms "birthright" (Hebrew bekord; cf. Gen. 25:31- ; : anc

Gen. 27:12, 35-36, 38, 41; 28:4; 33:11).

s T H 1: l \11, "- t Nt; 0 1 T Ht- N A110:..~

But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber,

because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

because of your father's God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you

with blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb.

Your father's blessings arc greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills.

Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

Gen. 49:22-26

Here, as in Genesis 48 , we encounter the idea of blessing coming through Joseph's descendants. Although Joseph is richly blessed, when Jacob blesses Judah, he declares that "the scepter wi ll not depart from Judah" and that one of his descendants will enjoy "the obedience of the nations" (49: 10) . Although it is not explicitly stated that the n ations will be blessed as a result, in the light of Genesis as a who le, this is possibly implied.

By highlighting the patriarchs' special relationship with God and their abil- ity to impart a uniqu e blessing to one of their sons, Genesis draws attention to the privileged position of the "seed" of the chosen lineage . As a result , the expectation is created that through a future royal descendant a\\ the nations of the earth will be blessed .

Old Testament Summary

As a whole ~h_e book of Genesis records three important phases regarding the ~heme of d1v111e . blessing. At the outset all of creation, including especia\ly

umamty, expenences God' s favor. However, as a result of the disobedience of Adam and E · ·fi

. ve, a s1g01 cant reversal occurs with human beings and the re

st of creation coming under God' s curse. The tragic consequences of thi '.

a~e ~~orted throughout the rest of Genesis. However, at the beginning o the hrah~m narrative, God promises not only to bless Abraham but als t roug him to bles 11 h f ·1· f h f h . s a t e am, ies o t e earth. The remaining episodl ~rsttbe pa/tnarchal narratives focus on this latter promise by linking it to ti

orn royal "seed" f Ab h firstb 1 ° ra am . Although none o f them is biologica\\y t \ orn, saac Jacob and J h 11 d blessin . . , ' , osep are a treate as such, and through tht

g is imparted to othe Wh"\ J h d who com I rs. 1 e osep stan s out in Genesis as the o

es c oseS t to fulfilling the divine promise of international blessi1

. . . OF TH E P ENTA T E U C H TT_1:'._H_:_E !_M~A~l~N_T_:_'.:'._H :_'.E ~:l E~- S~:__:_.:..:....:...------ - ------- _:_ - -

160

h I . te fulfillment of God's promise to bless all the nations f h

t e u nma ·111 · . h f o t ee h h th

"seed" of Abraham st1 1es mt e uture. Genesis thu arrh t roug e " b ,, d s establi h h Pt that

through a (royal) first orn escendant of Abrah s es t e conce . am God' blessing will be imparted to the nat10ns of the earth. ' s

New Testament Connections

The most obvious allusions in the New T~stament to the theme of blessing in Genesis come in Acts 3:25-26 and Galattans 3: 14. In the first of these pas- sages, Peter suggests that Jesus Christ _is the one through whom God's blessing will come to others. ''And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.' When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways" (Acts 3:25-26). Paul makes the same point in Galatians: "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:14). In both of these contexts, Jesus Christ, the "seed" of Abraham, is the one through whom the divine promise that all peoples of earth will be blessed is fulfilled. The same idea is also prominent in Romans 15 :8-12, although the concept of blessing is not mentioned specifically. With these passages one might also include Romans 4 :6-9. Though Paul does not specifically mention the text of Genesis in these verses, his brief comment regarding divine blessing, based on Psalm 32: 1-2, comes in the context of his argument that Abraham is the father of those who have faith, both Jews and Gentiles.

. Othe_r passages that may allude indirectly to the concept of blessing high- lighted 1_n Genesis include Elizabeth's reaction to Mary in Luke 1:42-45 and the beatitudes of Jesus in Matthew 5:3-12 and Luke 6:20-26.