Chapter 2 Genesis (2)

Genesis (2) Save Lot "One day a wounded soldier galloped up to Abram with terrible news: He had escaped from the flames of battle, and Lot's family had been captured by the army of Chedorlaomer, king of Elam up. In addition to Sodom and Gomorrah, there were three cities in the Green Basin on the southern shore of the Dead Sea where Lot settled down to graze.The rulers of these city-states were limited to the king of Elam, and obediently paid tribute to the king of Elam for 12 years. In the 13th year, they rebelled. So King Elam formed an alliance with the other three kings in the Euphrates Valley to fight against the rebels, and the rebels suffered a disastrous defeat.The lords of Sodom and Gomorrah died in battle, while the other two lords fled to the mountains.The victors, laden with spoils, took a large number of captives with them, and headed home, and are now on their way home.Among those who were forced to leave their homes was the Lot family.

When Abram heard the news, he immediately led 318 armed servants and neighbors to pursue the much stronger enemy in order to save his nephew Lot. Abram's missionary work in Canaan has been successful, and the local Amorite brothers Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner converted to God.All three were leaders of their respective tribes, and they also led their families in Abram's army. The armies of the four kingdoms of Mesopotamia set up camp at a place called Dan in the northern border of Canaan.The armies of these four countries come from different tribes and speak different languages.Coupled with the victory and returning to the division, the camp was in chaos and there was no discipline at all.The soldiers were dazzled by the victory, they only knew about carnival, and at night they passed out drunk on the ground, and they didn't even arrange a night watch.Abram divided his men into several teams, and launched attacks from different directions at the same time in the middle of the night. The enemy was caught off guard and fled in a panic.Abram pursued and annihilated the enemy until he reached the outskirts of Damascus before returning to Canaan victoriously.

Abram rescued Lot and the other captives, and returned to them all the property looted by the invaders. The rulers of Sodom and the other four cities welcomed Abram as if they were a savior.Melchizedek, king and high priest of Salem, came out to meet Abram with bread and wine.Melchizedek, like Abram, is also a believer of God. He blessed Abram in the name of God: "May the Lord of heaven and earth, God the Most High, bless Abram. God the Most High has handed over the enemy to you hands, to be praised." Abram gave a tenth of the booty to Melchizedek as a gift from God. The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the population, and take the property yourself!"

Abram proudly said to him, "I have sworn to the Lord of heaven and earth, the supreme God, and the Lord: I will not take anything that is yours, even a thread or a shoelace, lest you say: Abel Ram made his fortune through me. Let them take what my servants ate, and Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, who fought with me in battle." (Genesis 14:13-14:24 ) Abram takes a concubine Abram's righteous rescue of Lot made him famous in Canaan, and his prestige became higher and higher, and the number of people who converted to God's Jehovah also increased, and his followers spread all over the whole of Canaan.But he is getting old, and one of his heart problems is getting worse: his wife Sarai is barren and has never given birth to a son. The issue of heirs to the family property and career makes him think about it day and night, and his worries are difficult to solve.

One night, during a long prayer, God appeared to him in a vision and said, "Fear not, Abram! I am your shield, and I will reward you greatly." Abram said, "O Lord, my lord, what will you give me since I have no heir? It seems that my servant Eliezer of Damascus will inherit my inheritance." On the way to Canaan, Abram adopted Eliezer as his adopted son and treated him as if he were his own son, but after all, he was a person of another bloodline. Na Hehua said: "This man will not be your heir, only what you have born will become your heir." So God led him outside, pointed to the sky and said, "My son Abram, look, count the stars, can you count them? Your descendants will be so numerous."

In ancient times, the living conditions were very poor, medical care was poor, and the natural death rate of the population was very high.Therefore, the most common way for God to reward a nation is to bless its population to grow rapidly. Abram's faith in God was unconditional, as was his obedience to God's oracle.Abram believed God's word, and God justified it.Sarai, who was barren, saw her husband suffering because of having no offspring, so she felt compassion and decided to act in accordance with the customs of her ancestors.According to the customs of the ancestors of the Hebrews, a wife who could not bear children should find a concubine for her husband, and the son born to the husband and this concubine could become the legal heir and enjoy full birthright.Sarai chose her Egyptian handmaid Hagar to be Abram's concubine.

Sarai said to Abram, "The Lord has made me barren, please have sex with my handmaid, or I may have a child through her." Abram obeyed his wife's words and married this wife who had been with him day and night.Hagar was in her prime, full of blood, and after having intercourse with Abram, she became pregnant.Abram naturally looked at Hagar differently, and inadvertently increased his favor.Hagar was also proud of herself, forgot her status as a servant, and even looked down on her mistress (mistress), and her words and deeds were inevitably a little frivolous, which offended Sarai.

Sherai was jealous, resentful, and worried about her position in the family. She quarreled with Abram all day long, pouring out all her grievances on him, thinking that it was all his fault.Abram was exhausted physically and mentally. He felt very tired and unbearable. He wanted to get rid of this vortex of jealousy as soon as possible, so he simply said to Sarai: "The maid is under your care, and you can treat her as you like." Sarai abused Hagar, but Hagar couldn't stand it, so she left Abram's house and ran away. She was so sad that she burst into tears and wandered aimlessly in the wilderness.She came to a place called Shur, feeling hungry and thirsty, found a spring, and ran to fill her stomach with one breath.Hunger subsided for a moment, and then fatigue overcame her.She fell asleep on the stone steps by the spring.An angel with wings on his back appeared in her dream.

The angel asked her, "Hagar, Sarai's handmaiden, where have you come from? Where are you going?" Hagar said, "I have fled from my mistress Sarai: I do not know where I should go." The angel directed her and said, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." He also said, "I will make your offspring so numerous that they are beyond number. You are now pregnant to have a son, and you can Call his name Ishmael. For the LORD has heard your pity. Your son will be like a wild donkey. His hand will be against man, and the hand of man will be against him. He will dwell among his brethren. to the east." Hagar called the God who spoke to her and was "the Caretaker," and she said, "Do I see here also the One who watches over me?"

Hagar woke up from the dream and found that she was in a desperate situation and didn't want to wander anymore, so she obeyed the angel's command, returned home, and apologized to the mistress.The relationship between master and servant was temporarily eased. Hagar soon gave birth, and it turned out to be a son. Abram named him Ishmael according to the meaning of the angel.The name Ishmael means "God hears".Abram was 86 years old that year. (Genesis 15) Abraham - Father of Many Nations Abram was 99 years old when Ishmael was 13 years old. One day, God appeared to Abram and commanded him to form a unified nation of his people, believe in a unified religion, and all worship him: "I am Almighty God, you should be perfect before me, I will make a covenant with you to multiply your descendants exceedingly."

Abram's soul was shaken, and he fell to the ground.God said to him again: "I made a covenant with you, and you will be the father of many nations. From now on, your name will no longer be called Abram, but will be called Abraham. Because I have made you the father of many nations. I will make you Your descendants will be extremely numerous, from you will come kingdoms, and from you will come kings." "I will establish my covenant with you and your descendants from generation to generation. It will be an eternal covenant. I will be the God of you and your descendants. I will give to You and your descendants are an inheritance forever, and I will be their God." The name Abram was given to his son by Terah, the father who believed in polytheism. It means "the noble father". It is the same as the name of one of the gods in Mesopotamia. break.God gave him a new name, which means "father of many nations".The change of Abraham's name is a symbol of the development of primitive tribal polytheism into monotheistic Judaism.Although Abraham's social and political creation is not very prominent in the "Old Testament", his religious beliefs are unusually devout.Therefore, later generations of Jewish-Christian scholars traced the worship of Jehovah to him, and regarded him as "the ancestor of faith." The custom of male circumcision in Judaism also began with Abraham. God commanded Abraham to circumcise all men, including children, among all the believers, as a sign of covenant with God: "You and your descendants will keep my covenant from generation to generation. All you men, Be circumcised. This is my covenant with you and with your descendants, which you must keep. Be circumcised, and this is a sign of my covenant with you. Men of your generations, whether in your family Those who are born outside your descendants are bought from outsiders with money, and they are circumcised on the eighth day after birth. Both those born in your house and those bought with money must be circumcised. In this way, My covenant will be established in your flesh. An everlasting covenant. But the man who is not circumcised shall be cut off from his people, because he has broken my covenant." God also commanded Abraham's wife, Sarah, to change her name: "Your wife, Sarai, shall no longer be called Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah. I will bless her, and I will give you a son by her; I will give Bless her, and she will be the mother of many nations, and from her will come kings of people." Sarah means "mother of many nations". That same day, Abraham circumcised all the males in his clan. (Genesis 17:1-17:17) God's visit Although Abraham was blessed to become the father of many nations, he did not change his pastoral lifestyle.He still lived in a tent, lived a simple life, and was still friendly, fair and polite to his subjects.One day at noon, when the sun was shining, Abraham sat at the door of his tent to cool off.The breeze is warm, the oak leaves are swaying, and the cicadas are singing.The old man started beating unconsciously.Suddenly, he heard a series of light footsteps, looked up, and there were already three people standing opposite.When he saw it, he thought it was a strange traveler passing by the door, so he rushed to greet him.Following the etiquette of the tribe, he bowed to them and invited them to his home.Abraham saw that the three visitors were magnificent in appearance, with light cloaks and extraordinary demeanor, and after exchanging pleasantries, he realized that it was Hehua and the two angels.He immediately prostrated himself on the ground and said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, please do not leave your servant and go on. Let me bring you some water. You can wash your feet and rest under the tree. I will take another Come to order some bread, and you may strengthen your minds, and then go on, as you should, since you have come to the servant." The three visitors said, "Just do as you say." Abraham hurried into the tent to meet Sarah and told her to take three sia fine flour and mix it to make cakes. Abraham ran to the herd again, brought a tender and good calf, and handed it to the servant. The servant hurriedly slaughtered it, cleaned it, and cut off the fresh calf meat.He also brought the butter and the milk himself, and brought the prepared meat before them.I stand next to the felt under the tree and watch the guests eat and chat with them. God asked Abraham, "Where is your wife?" "In the tent," Abraham answered quickly. God said again, "By this time next year, I will come back to you, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Sara also heard this at the door of the tent behind the man. She laughed secretly and said, "How can I have such joy since I am decayed and my lord is old?" She had already stopped menstruation, so Sarah laughed when she heard that. God is super-sensible.Then Hehua noticed Sarah's laughter and heard what was in her heart, and said to Abraham: "Why did Sarah laugh secretly and said: I am already decayed, and my lord is also old, how can there be such a happy event?" Is it about you? When the time comes, next year at this time, I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son." Sarah got scared and denied it, saying, "I didn't laugh." The angel emphasized affirmatively: "Otherwise, you are really laughing." After eating and drinking, the three heavenly guests set off from Abraham's house to Sodom.Abraham will send them and go with them.The LORD thought to himself, "Should I hide from Abraham what I am going to do? Abraham will become a mighty king, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. I have taken care of him so that he may command his All my sons and their families, keep my way and do what is just and right, so that what I have promised Abraham will be fulfilled.” Thinking this way, he said to Abraham, “The people of Sodom and Gomorrah The crime is serious, and I have heard it. Now I want to go down and see what they did. Is it really what I heard? If it is not what people say, I also need to understand." At this time, seeing that the topic had nothing to do with them, the two angels bid farewell to Abraham and headed towards Sodom.Abraham still stood in front of Hehua, took a step towards him, and asked, "Do you want to destroy both good and evil? If there are 50 righteous people in that city, will you still destroy them? Not for the sake of this city." Do you forgive the 50 righteous people? Killing the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous with the wicked, is absolutely not what you did. Will the Judge of all the earth do justice?" God said, "If I find 50 righteous people in Sodom, I will forgive everyone in that place for their sake." Abraham said: "Although I am dust, I still dare to speak to the Lord. If five of the fifty righteous are short, will you destroy the whole city because of five short?" "If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy the city." "What if there are 40 of them there?" "For 40's sake, I'm not doing it either." "Please don't be angry, Lord, let me ask again, what if there are 30 there?" "I don't do that if I see 30 there." "I still dare to speak to the Lord, but what if there are 20 of them there?" "For the sake of the 20, I will not destroy the city either." "Please Lord, don't be angry. I'll say this again. What if there are 10 of them there?" Abraham asked at last. God was still patient with him and said: "For the sake of these 10, I will not destroy the city either." After finishing speaking, God Na Hehua left.Abraham also went home. (Genesis 18) Sin City - Sodom and Gomorrah God did not go to Sodom himself, but sent two angels there.At dusk, the angel arrived at the gate of Sodom, where he met Lot, Abraham's nephew. Lot bowed down to them and invited them to his house.The two angels were familiar with the etiquette in the world, and they declined politely like other passers-by, reasoning that they had better rest on the street.But Lot repeatedly invited, but the kindness was hard to turn down, so they agreed.Lot was very happy, and ordered the servants to cook, baked unleavened bread, and served it to the two guests.After the guests had eaten, Lot arranged a place for them to sleep.Before the guests had time to lie down, they heard a commotion outside. It turned out that the whole city of Sodom, old and young, surrounded the house of Lot's house.They called Lot and said, "Where are the people who came to you tonight? Bring them out and let us do what we want." The two angels were the incarnations of men at that time, and the people of Sodom wanted to abuse them. Because, it is sodomy. Lot believed that it was the responsibility of the host to protect the guests, which was a rule handed down from the ancestors. He went out and closed the door behind him.He stood in front of the crowd and begged, "Brothers, please don't do this evil thing. I have two daughters who are still virgins. Let me bring them out to do as you wish, but since these two have come to my house, beg Do nothing to them." Those people are not interested in virgins, they are tired of playing with women, and only beautiful men can be satisfied.So they shouted loudly: "Go back, go back! Why are you protecting them? What big men are they? You let them live here to curry favor with them and want to be officials! Now we are going to kill you Worse than harming them." While speaking, they rushed forward and crowded Lot, trying to break through the door, and Lot seemed to be unable to hold on.At this time, two visitors stretched out their hands from the door, pulled Lot into the room, and closed the door.The angel used a little trick to make the people outside the door, no matter how old or young, lose their eyesight, and they couldn't find the door after groping around.The thugs were so frightened that they scattered like birds and beasts, crying and screaming. After calming down, the two angels knew that Lot was a righteous man, so they revealed their identities and the purpose of their trip.They told Lot to take his wife and daughter, plus two unmarried sons-in-law, to leave Sodom as soon as it was about to be destroyed.Lot believed what the guests said, but his two unmarried sons-in-law thought they were smart, took the prophecy as a joke, and declared that they didn't want to leave their hometown at all. It was almost dawn, and it was time to leave.At this moment, Rhodes also hesitated.He procrastinated again and again, reluctant to leave.The two angels had no choice but to take Lot and his wife and daughter by the hand, lead them out of the city gate, and confess to them, "Run for your life! Don't look back, and don't stand still on the plain, but flee to the mountains, lest you be caught Annihilation." Lot said to them, "Don't do it, my lord. Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown me great mercy and saved my life. Before I escape to the mountain, I'm afraid that Disaster befell me, and I died. Behold, the city is small and near, and it is easy to escape. Isn't this city very small? Let me escape there, so that my life may be saved." That city was called Zoar from now on.Zoar means "little". The angel said to him, "I promise you this too. I will not overthrow the city you mentioned. You must flee there quickly, because I can't do anything until you get there." The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is at hand. This is the sinful Sodom and Gomorrah.Later in the West, Sodom became synonymous with promiscuity and sin.In modern Western languages, Sodomy means gay, chicken, and beast. The sexual behavior between gay men is called sodomize. (Genesis 19:1119:22) God's Punishment--Brimstone and Fire When Lot and his two daughters ran to Zoar panting, it was already mid-sunlight.At this time, the God of Jehovah sprayed brimstone and fire from the sky and shot them at Sodom and Gomorrah.In an instant, intense flames flashed in all directions, and then a black smoke column shot straight into the sky, and then dispersed at a high altitude, forming a mushroom shape.Lot's wife was walking at the end. When she heard a muffled sound, a sudden strong sense of curiosity caused her to forget the angel's warning. She couldn't help but look back, and saw that she froze all of a sudden. The skin seemed to have been soaked in sulfuric acid, and it turned white first, then black, and then white again. The whole body was like a pillar of salt. Abraham got up early in the morning, stood at the place where he had spoken with Hehua yesterday afternoon, and looked towards Sodom, but saw "the smoke rising from that place, like a kiln." Seeing his wife's tragic death, Lot dared not live in the city of Zoar on the plain.He thought that the angel told him that the mountain was safe, so he took his two daughters up from Zoar to live in the mountain.He lives in the same cave with his two daughters. This is the story of God's brimstone and fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. This description in the Bible reminds people of the two atomic bombs that exploded in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan in 1945.How similar the two are. (Genesis 19:23-19:30) sleep with father Lot fled brimstone and fire and moved with his two daughters to a mountain near Zoar, where they lived in a cave.Lot's wife had just died, and he felt very alone.The husbands of the two daughters did not flee together because they did not believe the words of the angel, and they became ashes together with the people of Sodom.Lot has no heirs, so his blood line will be cut off.In that isolated cave, the eldest daughter of Lot said to the younger daughter: "Our father is old, and no one on the mountain comes to us according to the rules of the world. Come, let us ask our father to drink and have a drink with him." He lies with him. So that we may preserve an offspring for him." So they made her father drink wine that night, and when Lot lost his mind, the eldest daughter went in to lie with her father; and he did not know when she lay down or when she got up. The next day, the eldest daughter and the younger daughter said, "I slept with my father last night. Tonight we will make him drink again. You can go in and sleep with him. In this way, we will preserve descendants for our father." So that night they made their father drink again, and the younger daughter got up and slept with her father. When she lay down and when she got up, my father didn't know. Thus Lot's two daughters were conceived with her father's semen.The eldest daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab, the ancestor of the Moabites today.The younger daughter also bore a son, and she named her Ben-ammi, the father of the Ammonites today. (Genesis 19:30-19:38) Abraham and Abimelech Abraham moved south again and pitched his tent in the meadow between Kadesh and Shur.It was the territory of the kingdom of Gerar, and Abraham often visited Abimelech, the king of Gerar, and made him friendly.Abimelech's wife and maid suffered from infertility. After hearing from Abraham that Sarah was his sister, Abimelech took Sarah into the harem.Knowing this, Jehovah warned Abimelech not to touch Sarah, but to return her to Abraham, or he would be severely punished, because Sarah was Abraham's wife.When Abimelech heard this, he was terrified. He summoned Abraham and rebuked him, saying, "Why are you against us? What have I offended you? You have brought me and my country into a trap." The abyss of iniquity. What you have done is unrighteous." Abraham blushed when he heard this, and he argued, "I thought people in this place didn't fear God, and would kill me because of my wife. She is indeed my sister, but we are half-brothers, and later became My wife. When I left my hometown and wandered outside by the will of God, I said to her, no matter where you go, you must say that you are my sister. If you do this, you have done me a good deed." Abimelech forgave Abraham, allowed Abraham to live in his kingdom, and even gave Abraham many sheep, cattle, and slaves.In addition, Abimelech gave Sarah 1,000 taels of silver as compensation for her humiliation before the people of Gerar. For this reason, God healed Abimelech, his wife, and the maidservants so that they could have children. Abraham could then live in Gerar for a long time.But because of the lesson from last time, Abimelech and his army commander Phoebe said to Abraham, since you have the blessing of God, God, we must swear to God, we will be friendly from generation to generation, your Children and grandchildren do not bully my children and grandchildren, and my children and grandchildren do not bully your children and grandchildren.Abimelech's men occupied a well dug by Abraham's men earlier, and Abraham told Abimelech about it, but Abimelech didn't know about it.He immediately had the well returned.The two chiefs made an oath on that well.Abraham named his place Beer-sheba, which means "the well of the oath". (Genesis 20; 21:22-21:32) isaac born Although Fujia, the handmaiden, bore Ishmael to Abraham, Sarah was still barren, so she had no firstborn son.But Ishmael was born of a handmaid and was of mixed race. Abraham was somewhat regretful, and he often prayed to God for this.The Lord God also assured him many times that Sarah would have a son and that Abraham would have many descendants. Remembering the Lord's blessing, Abraham often visited Sarah.Although the old couple were old, they were still very healthy. Two or three months after the three gods visited Abraham's house, Sarah was pregnant.Abraham was overjoyed, looking forward to holding his son. On the day God promised Abraham, Sarah was indeed in labor.Sarah gave birth at an advanced age. Although there was no dystocia due to God's blessing, the pain and hardship can be imagined.When she heard the baby's first cry, her whole heart fell to the ground like a stone hanging in the sky.Exhausted, yet joyful, she blurted out, "God, you made me laugh, and everyone who hears the cry of this child will laugh with me. Who could have said to Abraham in advance: Sarah will nurse Where is the baby? Only God you." Abraham named the child Isaac.Counting it, Abraham was 100 years old at this time, and his wife Sarah was also 90 years old. On the eighth day after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him according to his past covenant with God, as a memorial of keeping God's law. Isaac grew up gradually, and on the day he was weaned, Abraham made a grand banquet and invited guests.The joy cannot be overstated. Extreme joy begets sorrow, and the conflict that was temporarily quelled because of his wife Hagar's forbearance became acute again.Although Isaac was counted as a heir, he should have the right to inherit the family property, but after all, he was much younger than Ishmael, the son of Hagar.Sarah herself is old, and the advanced age of childbirth makes her blood lose early; if something happens suddenly, it's hard to say who will win. One day Sarah saw Ishmael playing with the neighbor's children outside the tent. She looked around and said to Abraham, "Drive out this handmaid and her child! Because the son of this handmaid shall not be with my son." with Isaac in the inheritance." Abraham didn't answer right now, and he was very worried about it. When he was in a dilemma, the Lord of God appeared to him and told him, "Don't worry about this boy and your handmaid. Whatever Sarah said to you, you Listen to them all, for through Isaac shall your offspring be called. As for the handmaid's son, I will also make a nation from his offspring, because he is your offspring." That's why Abraham made up his mind that God's promise was a best-of-both-worlds solution. Waking up early the next morning, Abraham gave Hagar a bag of bread and a skin of water, put them on her shoulders, handed the child to her, and sent her out of the house.Since then, the father and son have never met again. Hagar seemed to be mentally prepared. She was not shocked when she heard that her master wanted to send her away. She silently accepted the arrangement of fate and took the child away. After wandering for an indeterminate amount of time, poor Hagar got lost in the wilderness, and the water in her skin was exhausted.Hagar couldn't hold back her long-suppressed emotion any longer, so she left the child under the small tree, walked away about a stone's throw away, sat down opposite the child, and cried loudly: "My poor Son, I don't want to see you die. " When the ignorant child sees his mother crying, he also bursts into tears.The cry of the mother and child was heard in the sky, and God heard it.God sent an angel to Hagar from heaven and said, "Hagar, why are you doing this? Don't be afraid. God has heard the boy's voice. stand up!Take the boy in my arms, and from his offspring I will make a great nation. " Only then did Hagar calm down and stop crying. She wiped away her tears and saw a well in front of her. She climbed down and filled the water bag with water, and brought it back for her son to drink. The saved mother and son found a place in the desert to settle down and live independently.Ishmael gradually grew up and became a skilled archer, often returning with a full load of prey.He often served in the Egyptian army, and his mother married an Egyptian girl for him. Arabs still believe that their first ancestor is Ishmael, and believe that Ishmael and his mother are buried in Mecca under the Black Stone of Kaba, the holiest relic in Islam.This legend has been earned. (Genesis 17:19-17:22:21:121:21) Abraham's Son Sacrifice Old Abraham loved Isaac like the flesh of his heart.This kind of love can only be experienced by those who have children in old age. One day, God wanted to test Abraham's loyalty to himself.When Abraham prayed until late at night, he called out his name: "Abraham..." Abraham bowed his head to the ground and replied with a trembling voice, "Lord, your servant Abraham is here." God commanded him: "Take your son, your only son Isaac whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and sacrifice him as a pan sacrifice on the mountain I will show you." God Na and Hua disappeared.Abraham took God's instructions to heart. When he got up early in the morning, Abraham only said that he would go to Moriah to sacrifice to the gods, but he did not tell his family about the oracle for fear that they would hinder him.He ordered the donkey to be ready and the wood to be chopped, and then he took two of his servants and his son Isaac and set foot on the road to Moriah. On the third day, they came to the mountain indicated by God. Abraham looked up at the mountain from afar and said to the servants, "You and the donkey are waiting here. I will go up the mountain with the young master to worship and come." Abraham put the firewood for sowing the sacrifice on his son Isaac, and he held a pine needle and a knife in his hand, and the two prepared to climb the mountain together. The son was a little curious and asked, "Father!" "Here I am, my son," Abraham replied. "Look, we have the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?" The child was still in the dark. Abraham caressed his son's soft and smooth blond hair, cherishing it infinitely, how could he have the heart to tell the truth? "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for Pan's sacrifice." Before long, the father and son arrived at the place appointed by God.Abraham built an altar there, arranged the wood, bound his sons, and laid them on the wood.The youngest son cried in fright. Abraham hesitated for a moment, then reached for the knife to kill his son.Sooner or later, the Angel of Jehovah called him from heaven and said, "Abraham! Abraham..." Abraham stopped in the air with his knife hand, and he replied, "I am here ." Then the angel said: "Don't lay hands on this boy, don't do him any harm! Now I know that you really fear God, because you didn't leave your son—your only begotten son—from me. " God had seen Abraham's sincerity, and the purpose of the burnt offering was nothing more than to express respect for God.But since you have already come here, you can't take a trip in vain.If you do not have a son, what will you use for a burnt offering? "Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Abraham heard a few bleating lambs, and looked back.But I saw a ram was stuck between the dense saplings by its two horns, unable to move, struggling.So he took the goat, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. Abraham thought, God was just testing me, and my Lord had already arranged for everything, so he called the mountain "Naho Huajreh", which means that God will surely prepare. After the sacrifice was over, God sent an angel to him a second time to bless him.Promise again that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore.Abraham understood and thanked God. Abraham took his son down the mountain, joined his servants, and went back to their place of residence together. The "Bible" uses the story of Abraham's son sacrifice to illustrate that faith and the power of faith may overcome everything. (Genesis 22:1-22:19) death of sarah Because of the oath, Abraham lived well at Beer-sheba in Gerar, and Abimelech treated him well.But everything around him often reminded him of his beloved concubine Hagar and his eldest son Ishmael who were kicked out of the house, and his mood was always inexplicably unhappy.So Abraham decided to migrate again, and he came to Gilead Abba in Canaan, that is, Hebron, where he lived happily and peacefully in the basin there.Sadly though, Sarah died there, probably hastened by the long journey.Sarah lived to be 127 years old. Abraham lamented the loss of such a lifelong companion.He flung himself on Sarah's coffin, weeping.However, he had to get up quickly from this misery, because there were still many things waiting for him to deal with. He found the king of the local native Hittites (Hittites), and begged him to allow Sarah to be buried in his land.The king of the Hittites expressed sympathy for Abraham's widowhood, and set aside a place in the Hittite cemetery for Sarah's burial.He said, "Listen, my lord, you are a great prince among us; bury your dead in our best burial-place, and none of us will allow you to bury your dead in his burial-place." But Abraham was not happy with this kind of sympathy, and rejected King He's generosity. First, it might be due to differences in religious beliefs, and second, he might be afraid that the Hittites would misunderstand him, thinking that Abraham had surrendered to their king.Abraham cherished the freedom of nomadic life and wholeheartedly maintained his religion and tribal independence, so he said bluntly: "If you want me to bury my dead and keep her out of my sight, please listen to my work and pray for me.琐辖的儿子以弗仑，让他把田头上那麦比拉洞给我，他可以按着足价卖给我，作我家在你们中间的坟地。" 亚伯拉罕早已作了勘察，他看中了一个叫麦比拉的山洞，认为造于作自家的墓地。他也打听到那山洞和洞前的地属于赫人以弗仑。他本可以私自找以弗仑讨价还价，但害怕那人不愿意，碰一鼻子灰。所以找国王从中作筏。当时赫人以弗仑正在场，不料，他听了亚伯拉罕的陈述后，竟慷慨他说："不，我主请听，我送给你这块田，连田间的洞也送给你。在坐的众人可以作证，我把田和洞都给你。" 他有些受宠若惊，没有想到这赫人有这么痛快，便在那人面前下拜，说："你若应允，请听我的话，我要把田价给你，求你收下，我就在那里埋葬我的死人。" 以弗仑又说："我主请听，值400舍客勒银子的一块田，在你我中间还算什么呢？只管埋葬你的死人吧！" 亚怕拉罕坚持要正立公道地买下那块地，他当着众人秤了如数的银子给以弗仑。这样那块地并地边的洞及四围的树木都归在希伯来人亚怕拉罕的名下，成了亚伯拉罕家族中头几位族长的陵墓，亚伯拉罕、以撒和雅各都长眠在那山洞里。 撤拉的葬礼很隆重，参加葬礼的除了本部族人外，还有很多尊重亚伯拉罕的赫人。（创23：1一23：18） 以撒娶妻 妻子死后，亚怕拉罕显得越加老迈，他想自己有生之年应为以撒娶亲。喽不愿意儿子娶赫人或者迦南人，因为娶赫人或迦南人会给他家带来异族的血统，带来异教信仰。还是在基拉耳国的别是巴的时候就有人告诉亚伯拉罕，他的兄弟拿鹤和妻子密迦至今还生活在哈兰，一共有8个儿子，都已成家立业。 他决定在本族内给以撒找个妻子，就找来管理他全家产业的老仆人养子以利以谢，对他说："请你把手放在我大腿底下。我要叫你指着那和华，天地的·主起誓，不要为我儿子娶这迦南地中的女子为妻。你要往我本地本族去为我的儿子以撒娶一个妻子。" 仆人对他说："倘若女子不肯跟我到这地方来，我必须将你的儿子带回你原出之地（即哈兰）吗？" 亚伯拉罕也不同意，"你要谨慎，不要带我的儿子回那里去。 那和华，天上的主，曾带领我离开父家和本族的地，对我说话：我要将这地赐给你的后裔。他必差遣使者在你面前，你就可以从那里为我儿子娶广个妻子。倘若女子不肯跟你来，我使你起的誓就与你无干了，只是不可带我的儿子回那里去。 " 仆人以利以谢就把手放在他大腿底下向他起誓。他带了10匹骆驼，并带了些他主人各样的财物和数名赶驼工，起身往米所波大米（美索不达米亚）拿鹤所在的哈兰城说亲去了。 经过长途跋涉，临近黄昏时分，说亲的骆驼队在哈兰城附近的水井旁停下来。旅行者都疲惫不堪，骆驼都跪了下来，等着饮水。以利以谢向上帝祈祷说："那和华我主人亚伯拉罕的神啊，求你施恩给我主人亚伯拉罕，"使我今日遇见好机会。我现今站在井旁，城内居民的女子们正出来打水。我向那一个女子说：请你拿下水瓶来，给我水喝。她若说：请喝，我也给你的骆驼喝。愿那女子就作你所预定给你仆人以撒的妻子。这样，我便知道您施恩给我主人了。 " 话还没说完，只见一群妇女从城里走出来打水，一个个姑娘披着艳丽的披凤、围着头巾，肩上扛着水瓶，一边走一边说笑。咯咯的笑语象银铃般地传到老仆人的耳朵里。其中有一位姑娘风姿卓约，秀丽挺拔，走起路来稳重端庄，与众不同，老仆人一眼就从众姑娘中发现了她。以利以谢便主动上前与那姑娘打招呼，给她鞠了一躬：说："求你将瓶里的水给我一点喝。" "我主请喝。"姑娘带着自然的微笑回答，一边急忙拿下瓶来托在手上给他喝。 待以利以谢喝完了，姑娘又说："我再为你的骆驼打水，叫骆驼也喝足。"她就急忙把水倒在槽里，又跑到井旁打水，给所有的赶驼工和所有的骆驼喝。 这姑娘美丽、端庄、善良，并且干起活来十分利落。老仆人以利以谢把这一切都看在眼里：真是谢天谢地，上天有眼，让我老朽一下子就碰到这么好的姑娘。 待人和骆驼都喝足了，以利以谢想进一步试探那女于，来证明上帝是不是给自己的使命创造了机会。 他走上前去，取出一个金环，重半舍客勒；两个金镯，重10舍客勒，给了那女子，说："请告诉我，你是谁的女儿？你父亲家里有我们住宿的地方没有？" 那姑娘有些害羞了，她不敢接受这么多贵重的礼物，微微低下了头说："我是密迦与拿鹤之于彼土利的女儿。" 原来她就是拿鹤的孙女利百加。在以利以谢的一再请求下，在众女伴的羡慕和喝彩声中，她终于接受了所有的礼物，又说："我们家里足有粮草，也有住宿的地方。" 说完就飞也似地跑回去向家人报告。 老仆人一听利百加的话喜出望外，他相信是上帝的指引才使他一下子碰到这么好的女子。他马上给上帝下拜，感恩说："那和华我主人亚伯拉罕的神是应当称颂的，因他不断地以慈爱诚实待我主人；至于我，那和华在路上引领我，直走到我主人的兄弟家里。" 利百加有个哥哥叫拉班，看见金环，又看见金环在他妹子手上，并听了他妹子利百加的陈述，就跑到井边来，到以利以谢跟前，对他说："你这蒙那和华赐福的贵客，请到家里去，为什么站在外边？我已经收拾了房屋，也为骆驼预备了地方。" 以利以谢就进了拉班的家，拉班卸了骆驼用草料喂上，拿水给那人和赶驼工洗脚；把饭摆在他们跟前请他们吃。以利以谢却说："我不吃，等我说明白我的事情再吃。" 拉班说："请讲。" "我是亚伯拉罕的仆人。那和华大大地赐福给我主人，使他昌大，又赐给他羊群、牛群、金银、仆婢、骆驼和驴。我主人的妻子撒拉年老的时候，给我主人生了一个儿子；我主人也将一切所有的都给了这个儿子。我主人叫我起誓说：你不要为我儿子娶迦南地的女子为妻。你要往我父家、我本族那里去为我的儿子娶一个妻子。我对主人说：恐怕女子不肯跟我来。他就说：我所事奉的那和华必要差遣他的使者与你同去，叫你的道路通达；你就能够在我父家、我本族里给我的儿子娶一个妻子。只要你到了我本族那里，我使你起的誓就与你无干；他们若不把女子交给你，我使你起的誓也与你无干。"他接着讲了下午在并边的事情，并请求他们把利百加嫁给以撒为妻。并说："现在你们若愿以慈爱诚实待我主人，就告诉我；若不然，也告诉我，使我可以或向左或向右。" 拉班和彼土利回答说："这事是上帝的安排，我们不能向你说好说歹。看哪！利百加在你面前，可以将她带去，照着上帝所说的，给你主人的儿于为妻。" 以利以谢一听这话就向那和华俯伏在地，表示感恩。 以利以谢拿出金器、银器和衣服，送给利百加，又将宝物送给她哥哥和她母亲。仆人以利以谢和跟从他的人，吃饱喝足以后，住了一夜，早晨起来，就对主人说："请打发我回主人那里去吧！" 利百加的哥哥和母亲舍不得她就走，说："让姑娘同我们再住几天，至少十天，然后她可以去。" 仆人说："那和华既赐给我通达的道路，你们不要耽误我，请打发我走，回我主人那里去吧。" 他们又说："我们把姑娘叫来问问她。" 利百加走出房间并且表示："我去。" 于是他们打发妹子利百加和她的乳母同亚伯拉罕的仆人并跟从仆人的人，一起返回希伯仑。亲人们给利百加祝福，说"我们的妹子啊，愿你作千万人的母，愿你的后裔得着仇敌的城门。" 利百加和她的使女们出来，骑上骆驼，跟着那仆人以利以谢踏上去夫家的路。 以撤焦急地等待着未婚妻的到来。他常常一个人走到大路上，凝望着远方。有一天傍晚，他听见有驼铃声，很快就看见了一队懒洋洋地迈着步子的骆驼。正当以撤猜度是否是自家的骆驼队时，利百加看见了以撒，问那说亲的以利以谢："迎着我们走来的那个人是谁？" 以利以谢答道："那是我的少爷。" 利百加立刻下了骆驼，按着未婚妻的规矩，用斗篷遮住脸，向自己未来的丈夫恭顺地施礼问安。以撒乐得心花怒放，他把利百加领进故母撤拉的帐篷中，表明今后他的妻子将是这一族的主母。 他们很快就举行了婚礼。以撒很爱自己的妻子，他因母亲故去而产生的悲伤这才得到了慰藉。（创22：20一24；23） 亚伯拉罕的晚年 以撒娶利百加的那一年40岁，他的老父亲已经140岁了。晚年的亚伯拉罕把家事大部交给了以撤，过着鳏居生活。为了减轻晚年的孤独，他决定再次结婚。他娶了一个叫基土拉的女子为续弦。基土拉又连续给他生了6个孩子。这6个孩子又给他生了众多的孙男孙女。 亚伯拉罕晚年正式分配了他的遗产。考虑到子孙众多，老亚伯拉罕按照希伯来人的传统明确了以撒的长子权，将绝大部分家产都分给了他。保证财物的相对集中，使家族具备进一步发展的潜力，在生存竞争中立于不败之地。 同时，亚伯拉罕也给他庶出的众子发放一定的财物，作为他们独立生活的基础，打发他们朝迦南以东的方向出去，因为那里还有许多未被占领的水草地带，可供他们牧养牲畜。 在175岁的那一年里，亚伯拉罕终于因寿高年迈，无疾而终。 他死了以后，远在埃及的以实玛利也赶回迦南为父亲送葬。这是他长大成人以后第一次也是最后一次瞻仰到父亲的容貌。以实玛利和弟弟以撤一道把亚伯拉罕安放在麦比拉洞里，使他与妻子撒拉一起长眠。（创25：1一25：10） 孪生兄弟之争--以招和雅各 以撤与利百加结婚以后，夫妇双方甚是恩爱，但是一种难言的哀愁却随着岁月的流逝而增长。那就是他们19年的共同生活却没有留下一男半女。以撒也遇到了他父亲曾经为之万分苦恼的事情。他祷告上帝，求万能的神赐他们后代。上帝应许了他们的祈求，利百加怀孕了。快足月的时候，利百加的身子显得特别沉重，她告诉丈夫自己腹中有两个小生命。这两个小生命在腹中很不老实，常常互相争斗、踢打，使利百加增加了数倍的痛苦。她就去祷告上帝说："若是这样，我为什么活着呢？" 上帝对她说："两国在你腹内，两族要从你身上出来；这族必强于那族，将来大的要服事小的。" 生产的日子到了，腹中果然是双子。先下地的孩子身体发红，浑身有毛，如同穿了裘皮衣，以撒就给他起名叫做以扫。以扫就是"有毛"的意思。 后下地的弟弟两只小手紧紧地抓住他哥哥的脚跟，刚当爹的以撤觉得很好玩，分开他的手。于是给这个弟弟起名叫做雅各。雅各就是"抓住"的意思。 以撒当父亲的那一年刚好60岁。 两个孩子渐渐长大成人，不熟悉的人一点也看不出他们是孪生兄弟。因为从外表到禀性他们一点也不相象。以扫长得矮粗，膀大腰圆，身上长满了金黄色的毛，他勇敢，生性好斗，喜欢开粗鲁的玩笑。他憨直，敦厚，但容易发火，发起火来显得很凶。他整天在外打猎，或者和牧人们在牧场上打发时光。他根本不关心自己的衣着仪表，不修边幅，身上穿的衣服发出一种汗味和羊膻味。他理解的生活就是广阔的天地、阳光和自由。他饿了就吃，渴了就喝，困了就睡，没有想过明天会怎样。他流荡在外，从不管家务事。以扫经常从田野里打回猎物来孝敬父亲以撒。 雅各可完全是另外一种人。他勤于管家理事，是母亲利百加的好帮手。他处事三思而后行，多谋善断，从不莽撞。显得文静儒雅，干净利索。有时候以扫笑他是个傻子，他也不介意。 父亲以撒喜欢粗犷的以扫，而多心眼的雅各是母亲的宠儿。