… Sarah will not come in ch. 24. Appearing right back across the story, this new site was simply to the father just who, at the beginning of the newest chapter, believed that he was alongside death. It is likely hence that concluding sentence ran: ‘Thus Isaac try comfortable after the death of their father.’…
Gunkel’s solution is perhaps not sufficient, however. Their conflict one to “when the slave concerns Isaac, Isaac says to your you to their dad has passed away about meantime,” ignores the point that new servant means Isaac given that “his master” through to the a few had an opportunity to chat (v. 65), at which area, the latest slave lack recognized one Abraham got died. Also, the fresh new notice regarding Isaac wanting comfort to possess his mom’s dying links needless to say so you can Sarah death (ch. 23), which means that there is absolutely no justification so you can emend the latest verse to help you “dad.”
A good Fragment away from Society
I would recommend one to originally it had been Isaac, allegedly on his own effort, who sends regarding his slave to obtain him a wife. Thus, if servant returns with Rebecca, he merchandise their right to Isaac.
As i argue in my “Isaac before He was Abraham’s Young man” (TheTorah 2020), Abraham used to be another patriarch, who supported alone because “father” of the country
A publisher revised the bulk of the story (vv. 1–52), that originally worried about Isaac only, to present Abraham as individual who cared for their young man and you can created to have their matrimony prior to his passing. Therefore, the person makes reference to “his grasp Abraham” (vv. twelve, twenty seven, 42, 48) and that’s titled “Abraham’s slave” (vv. 34, 52), and much of dialogue is mostly about the slave shopping for good spouse into the master’s young buck.
A fragment of first style of brand new narrative try kept away from v. 53, and that describes new servant’s gift so you can Rebecca’s sibling and mommy, till the avoid of story, in just a small number of article glosses (vv. 59, and 67a).
Here, this new servant are labeled simply just like the “new slave” otherwise “the person” (vv. 53, 58, 61, 65 [twice], 66), that’ll just as be easily a regard to Isaac’s servant. A whole lot more significantly, beginning with verse 54, we find “the brand new slave” talking to Rebecca’s mother and you will aunt about “my personal grasp” (vv. 54, 56) in lieu of “my personal master Abraham” (as in vv. twelve, 27, 35–37, 39, 42, 48):
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Gen This new servant brought out items away from silver and gold, and garments, and you will provided these to Rebecca; and he gave presents so you can their unique brother along with her mommy. Then he and the guys which have him ate and eaten, plus they invested the evening. Once they emerged second morning, the guy said, “Offer me personally get off to check out my grasp.”… He believed to all of them, “Do not impede me personally, since YHWH made my errand effective. Provide myself hop out that i may go on my master.”
From this point up until verse 65, the slave appears to be speaking about Isaac when he says “my grasp;” this really is clear when he teaches you so you’re able to Rebecca just who the person handling them are.
Why is the storyline reworked to really make the step toward is why and not Isaac’s? In the first place, this new Abraham and you can Isaac reports was independent way of life, and you may were not linked: Isaac was not Abraham’s child. Meanwhile, Isaac and his awesome son Jacob-the daddy out of Israel-belonged to a multiple, independent, national tradition.