Abraham takes another wife, who is unnamed. This new wife bears him a number of children, including the father of Sheba. Abraham sends his children of his concubines east, where by legend become the Arabic tribes. Abraham dies at the age of 175 and is buried with Sarah in the family plot he purchased from the Hittites. Isaac and his household attend.
Isaac's genealogy is then recited.
Rebekah cannot conceive and asks help from the Lord, who grants her request. It is a difficult pregnancy, as her "children struggled within her". The Lord says that two nations are in her womb and the two will be divided and struggle. One twin will be stronger and the older twin will survive the younger. Esau, who is a hairy baby, is born first. Jacob comes next, holding onto Esau's heel.
Esau becomes a hunter, while Jacob is quiet and dwells in the tents. Esau is Isaac's favorite, while Jacob is Rebekah's. Big dumb Esau comes in from a hunt one day, hungry. Jacob happens to be making some pottage and lentils and Esau instantly sells his birthright to Jacob for some food. So Jacob is both kind of jerky for not just offering Esau some food to begin with and further talks him out of his birthright.
As Esau is outwitted by his empty stomach, his double share of his inheritance goes to Jacob.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Genesis 24
Abraham forces a servant to place his hand under Abraham's thigh and swear to go back to Ur to find a wife for Isaac. He is explicitly told to not find a wife among the Canaanites. So guess women of the promised land just won't do for some reason. Abraham says that if the servant cannot find a wife for Isaac in Ur, the servant is free of his oath. For some reason, he is further instructed that he may not take Isaac to Ur.
The servant goes to Ur and the first thing he does is sit down by a well. He determines that the first maiden that not only offers him water, but also offers to water his camels will be the one for Isaac. Rebekah, a virgin niece of Abraham's does just that. More close family ties here, as this is the one that apparently God has sent for Isaac.
The servant goes to Rebekah's father's house and repeats the whole story that was earlier in the chapter almost word for word. I don't know why the writer/editor/God determined such redundancy was necessary in this chapter, but there it is. I wonder if someone was getting paid by the word when they were putting this particular chapter together.
Anyway, Rebekah's father asks for a delay for Rebekah's departure for some reason, which Abraham's servant begs out of. When he returns with Rebekah, Isaac meets them and immediately takes her as his wife. This comforts Isaac in the wake of Sarah's death.
The servant goes to Ur and the first thing he does is sit down by a well. He determines that the first maiden that not only offers him water, but also offers to water his camels will be the one for Isaac. Rebekah, a virgin niece of Abraham's does just that. More close family ties here, as this is the one that apparently God has sent for Isaac.
The servant goes to Rebekah's father's house and repeats the whole story that was earlier in the chapter almost word for word. I don't know why the writer/editor/God determined such redundancy was necessary in this chapter, but there it is. I wonder if someone was getting paid by the word when they were putting this particular chapter together.
Anyway, Rebekah's father asks for a delay for Rebekah's departure for some reason, which Abraham's servant begs out of. When he returns with Rebekah, Isaac meets them and immediately takes her as his wife. This comforts Isaac in the wake of Sarah's death.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Genesis 23
Sarah dies at the age of 127 and Abraham buys a family burial plot from the Hittites. Over the objections of the Hittites, who want to give the land to him, Abraham insists on paying full price and he buries Sarah in a cave on the plot.
The story with the purchase of the plot is kind of long and I gather the purpose is to recount why the place said to be the final resting place of Abraham and his kin is still venerated. In any event, if you want the nuts and bolts, you know where to find it.
The story with the purchase of the plot is kind of long and I gather the purpose is to recount why the place said to be the final resting place of Abraham and his kin is still venerated. In any event, if you want the nuts and bolts, you know where to find it.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Genesis 22
God decides to test Abraham and tells him to take Isaac on a mountain and offer him as a burnt offering to the Lord, which he does. On the way, Isaac sees the fire and wood, but no offering. Realizing something is up, he asks Abraham where the sacrifice is. Abraham says "God will provide".
Abraham builds an altar and puts Isaac on it. Before he is able to kill Isaac, an angel stops Abraham and provides a ram for sacrifice. Abraham sees a trapped ram and takes it to use for the sacrifice. Abraham names the place "God will provide".
The angel comes back and again blesses Abraham with a multitude of descendants, as many as stars in the sky and grains of sand on a shore. Further, those descendants will posses the gates of their enemies.
Seriously screwed up story. God and Abraham torture an innocent child for what? To prove Abraham is an unthinking, unfeeling robot when it comes to directions he thinks he receives from God? He'd be in prison for this today, where he'd belong.
GOD'S COMMANDMENT(S):
Sacrifice your son if God tells you to.
DIFFICULTY OF FOLLOWING COMMANDMENT(S):
I would hope this would be impossible for you to do.
GOD'S DEATH TOLL THIS CHAPTER:
One ram.
GOD'S RUNNING DEATH TOLL:
The entire population of Sodom and Gomorrah, except Lot and his daughters. One ram.
Abraham builds an altar and puts Isaac on it. Before he is able to kill Isaac, an angel stops Abraham and provides a ram for sacrifice. Abraham sees a trapped ram and takes it to use for the sacrifice. Abraham names the place "God will provide".
The angel comes back and again blesses Abraham with a multitude of descendants, as many as stars in the sky and grains of sand on a shore. Further, those descendants will posses the gates of their enemies.
Seriously screwed up story. God and Abraham torture an innocent child for what? To prove Abraham is an unthinking, unfeeling robot when it comes to directions he thinks he receives from God? He'd be in prison for this today, where he'd belong.
GOD'S COMMANDMENT(S):
Sacrifice your son if God tells you to.
DIFFICULTY OF FOLLOWING COMMANDMENT(S):
I would hope this would be impossible for you to do.
GOD'S DEATH TOLL THIS CHAPTER:
One ram.
GOD'S RUNNING DEATH TOLL:
The entire population of Sodom and Gomorrah, except Lot and his daughters. One ram.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Genesis 21
Sarah gives birth to Isaac, which means "he who laughs". Isaac plays with Ismael and Sarah wants him and Hagar thrown out. God tells Abraham to do as Sarah wishes, but that he will make Ismael the father of a nation as well. Abraham gives Hagar some bread and water and sends her away. Compare this with how he dealt with a jealous Sarah in Genesis 16. Still, father of the year.
In any event, Hagar runs out of water and abandons Ismael so she won't see him die. God hears her cries and opens a well for her and she gives Ismael water. Ismael grows, becomes and expert with the bow and later takes an Egyptian wife.
Abraham gets into conflict with a king. They make peace, giving name to Beer-Sheba, the well where the peace was made.
GOD'S COMMANDMENT(S):
DIFFICULTY OF FOLLOWING COMMANDMENT(S):
GOD'S DEATH TOLL THIS CHAPTER:
GOD'S RUNNING DEATH TOLL:
The entire population of Sodom and Gomorrah, except Lot and his daughters.
In any event, Hagar runs out of water and abandons Ismael so she won't see him die. God hears her cries and opens a well for her and she gives Ismael water. Ismael grows, becomes and expert with the bow and later takes an Egyptian wife.
Abraham gets into conflict with a king. They make peace, giving name to Beer-Sheba, the well where the peace was made.
GOD'S COMMANDMENT(S):
DIFFICULTY OF FOLLOWING COMMANDMENT(S):
GOD'S DEATH TOLL THIS CHAPTER:
GOD'S RUNNING DEATH TOLL:
The entire population of Sodom and Gomorrah, except Lot and his daughters.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Genesis 20
Abraham continues his journeys, comes across another king who is interested in a ninety year old post-menopausal Sarah. Abraham and Sarah again lie and tell the king that they are siblings. The king takes her into his harem. God comes to the king in a dream and threatens to kill him for taking a married woman. The king pleads innocence, that he was lied to that she was Abraham's sister. So God commands the king to restore Sarah to Abraham, which he does, along with sheep, oxen and silver. So pimping Sarah pays off for she and Abraham again. God then opens the wombs of the king's household, which God had closed for taking in Sarah. The king's household then begins to produce children.
Fun fact, Abraham reveals to the king that Sarah is actually his half sister, so half a lie? And why didn't he tell Pharoah that it wasn't a lie the last time this happened? And just how hot is this ninety year old woman? Lots of unanswered questions here.
Anyway, another bizarre story of Abraham and Sarah posing as siblings, then the other guy gets in trouble and has to pay them off. They are like a grifting family and it obviously helps that God is in on their schemes. Just how hot can a ninety year old woman be?
GOD'S COMMANDMENT(S):
Genesis 20:2-4 - Don't take a married woman into your harem, even if she and her husband tell the half lie that she's not married. Luckily, if you do not touch her, even after believing the lie, you don't offend God (Genesis 20:6).
DIFFICULTY OF FOLLOWING COMMANDMENT(S):
Seems pretty simple to me.
GOD'S DEATH TOLL THIS CHAPTER:
GOD'S RUNNING DEATH TOLL:
The entire population of Sodom and Gomorrah, except Lot and his daughters.
Fun fact, Abraham reveals to the king that Sarah is actually his half sister, so half a lie? And why didn't he tell Pharoah that it wasn't a lie the last time this happened? And just how hot is this ninety year old woman? Lots of unanswered questions here.
Anyway, another bizarre story of Abraham and Sarah posing as siblings, then the other guy gets in trouble and has to pay them off. They are like a grifting family and it obviously helps that God is in on their schemes. Just how hot can a ninety year old woman be?
GOD'S COMMANDMENT(S):
Genesis 20:2-4 - Don't take a married woman into your harem, even if she and her husband tell the half lie that she's not married. Luckily, if you do not touch her, even after believing the lie, you don't offend God (Genesis 20:6).
DIFFICULTY OF FOLLOWING COMMANDMENT(S):
Seems pretty simple to me.
GOD'S DEATH TOLL THIS CHAPTER:
GOD'S RUNNING DEATH TOLL:
The entire population of Sodom and Gomorrah, except Lot and his daughters.
Genesis 19
Two angels (where's the third?) come to the gates of Sodom, where Lot is. Lot offers them his hospitality and asks them to stay in his house, then leave first thing in the morning. They demur, saying they wish to sleep in the street. Lot convinces them to stay with him.
Every man in Sodom, young and old, surround Lot's house and insist Lot send out his guests so that they can rape them. Lot, contending for father of the year, helpfully offers his virgin daughters to the crowd to do with as they please. The crowd doesn't want young virgin women and are set on gang raping angels. They try to break down Lot's door, and threaten to do worse to him than what they planned for the angels. The angels blind the men closest to the door and pull Lot in.
The angels tell Lot to warn his family and get out first thing in the morning. Lot goes to warn his future sons-in-law (wonder where they were when Lot was offering up their brides), who think Lot is jesting and ignore him. In the morning, Lot dawdles leaving and the men of the city attempt to take Lot and his family, but God takes mercy on him and gets him out of the city, but also instructs him not to look back. The first thing Lot's wife does is, of course, looks back and is turned into a pillar of salt. First Eve, now Lot's wife, womens got to start obeying the Lord, it seems.
God tells Lot to go hide in the hills, but Lot begs to be allowed to go to a small city, Zo'ar, which God allows. God sends fire and brimstone to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and the fertile valley is transformed into a wasteland. Lot and his daughters hide in a cave.
Lot's daughters believe they are the only people left in the world, not too odd of a thought having witnessed what just happened to the entire valley, and desire children. They settle on the weird plan of getting their father black out drunk and raping him. They both do on consecutive nights, and I do want to point out it was a good thing that in their haste to flee Sodom, it's a good thing they brought plenty of wine. Woo hoo, party like it's the end of the world!
In any event, both daughters become pregnant and their sons go on to found the Moabite and Ammonite tribes.
Bad stuff in this chapter: God commits another genocide, Lot offers innocents to gang rape, threatened gang rape (which is somehow worse than what Lot offered), looking back, excessive drinking and finally incest/rape for an action packed story. No one, including God, comes out particularly good in this one.
GOD'S COMMANDMENT(S):
Genesis 19:5-9 - Not an explicit commandment, but threatening homosexual gang rape and attempted breaking and entering gets you blinded and later destroyed by fire and brimstone (Genesis 5:24).
Genesis 19:26 - Looking at a burning city after being instructed not to yields turned into salt.
Genesis 19:33 - Getting your father drunk and raping him is unpunished, except that your weirdness is retold in the most popular book in the world for the next three to five thousand years at the least.
DIFFICULTY OF FOLLOWING COMMANDMENT(S):
Most of us are not tempted by threatening gang rape, much less breaking into an abode to do. Should be pretty simple to avoid this one.
GOD'S DEATH TOLL THIS CHAPTER:
The entire population of Sodom and Gomorrah, save Lot and his two daughters.
GOD'S RUNNING DEATH TOLL:
The entire population of Sodom and Gomorrah, save Lot and his two daughters.
Every man in Sodom, young and old, surround Lot's house and insist Lot send out his guests so that they can rape them. Lot, contending for father of the year, helpfully offers his virgin daughters to the crowd to do with as they please. The crowd doesn't want young virgin women and are set on gang raping angels. They try to break down Lot's door, and threaten to do worse to him than what they planned for the angels. The angels blind the men closest to the door and pull Lot in.
The angels tell Lot to warn his family and get out first thing in the morning. Lot goes to warn his future sons-in-law (wonder where they were when Lot was offering up their brides), who think Lot is jesting and ignore him. In the morning, Lot dawdles leaving and the men of the city attempt to take Lot and his family, but God takes mercy on him and gets him out of the city, but also instructs him not to look back. The first thing Lot's wife does is, of course, looks back and is turned into a pillar of salt. First Eve, now Lot's wife, womens got to start obeying the Lord, it seems.
God tells Lot to go hide in the hills, but Lot begs to be allowed to go to a small city, Zo'ar, which God allows. God sends fire and brimstone to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and the fertile valley is transformed into a wasteland. Lot and his daughters hide in a cave.
Lot's daughters believe they are the only people left in the world, not too odd of a thought having witnessed what just happened to the entire valley, and desire children. They settle on the weird plan of getting their father black out drunk and raping him. They both do on consecutive nights, and I do want to point out it was a good thing that in their haste to flee Sodom, it's a good thing they brought plenty of wine. Woo hoo, party like it's the end of the world!
In any event, both daughters become pregnant and their sons go on to found the Moabite and Ammonite tribes.
Bad stuff in this chapter: God commits another genocide, Lot offers innocents to gang rape, threatened gang rape (which is somehow worse than what Lot offered), looking back, excessive drinking and finally incest/rape for an action packed story. No one, including God, comes out particularly good in this one.
GOD'S COMMANDMENT(S):
Genesis 19:5-9 - Not an explicit commandment, but threatening homosexual gang rape and attempted breaking and entering gets you blinded and later destroyed by fire and brimstone (Genesis 5:24).
Genesis 19:26 - Looking at a burning city after being instructed not to yields turned into salt.
Genesis 19:33 - Getting your father drunk and raping him is unpunished, except that your weirdness is retold in the most popular book in the world for the next three to five thousand years at the least.
DIFFICULTY OF FOLLOWING COMMANDMENT(S):
Most of us are not tempted by threatening gang rape, much less breaking into an abode to do. Should be pretty simple to avoid this one.
GOD'S DEATH TOLL THIS CHAPTER:
The entire population of Sodom and Gomorrah, save Lot and his two daughters.
GOD'S RUNNING DEATH TOLL:
The entire population of Sodom and Gomorrah, save Lot and his two daughters.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Genesis 18
Three visitors arrive at Abraham's tent, who treats them to great hospitality, including feeding them, slaughtering a calf to feed them and providing water so that they can wash their feet. He does not recognize them as the Lord. It is not clear if all three visitors are all emanations of God or if one is God and the other two are some manner of attendants. In any event, Abraham does not recognize them as God. His hospitality is therefore an indication of his character and the expected treatment of visitors among the nomads of those days.
The visitors promise again that Sarah will have a son next spring. Sarah, eavesdropping and post-menopausal, laughs upon hearing this. The visitors confront her laughter, which she denies. Then they are off to Sodom. God debates whether to tell Abraham about his plans for Sodom. When he does, Abraham attempts to bargain with God to prevent Sodom's destruction, Lot's home. God promises not to destroy Sodom if fifty righteous men reside therein. Abraham bargains God down to ten, and God agrees not to destroy Sodom if even ten righteous men can be found within. Since God is omnipotent, he presumably already knows there ain't ten righteous men in Sodom, since he continues his journey, meaning his agreement with Abraham was just to placate him. Abraham can't put too much energy into worrying about Lot, he's got to figure out how to impregnate a ninety year old woman.
The visitors promise again that Sarah will have a son next spring. Sarah, eavesdropping and post-menopausal, laughs upon hearing this. The visitors confront her laughter, which she denies. Then they are off to Sodom. God debates whether to tell Abraham about his plans for Sodom. When he does, Abraham attempts to bargain with God to prevent Sodom's destruction, Lot's home. God promises not to destroy Sodom if fifty righteous men reside therein. Abraham bargains God down to ten, and God agrees not to destroy Sodom if even ten righteous men can be found within. Since God is omnipotent, he presumably already knows there ain't ten righteous men in Sodom, since he continues his journey, meaning his agreement with Abraham was just to placate him. Abraham can't put too much energy into worrying about Lot, he's got to figure out how to impregnate a ninety year old woman.
Genesis 17
When Abram is 99, God again makes the covenant to multiply him exceedingly . Why does Abram need this much assurance? God says Abram will now be the father of nations and renames him Abraham. God says Abraham must keep the covenant through circumcision. All males in Abraham's house, whether family or through purchase, must be circumcised. Male babies are to be circumcised eight days after birth. How does circumcising a baby that is unable to understand the obligations of the covenant he is entering into keep that covenant? Genesis doesn't get into that. Uncircumcised males are to be "cut off" (I think the writer of this chapter of Genesis is having a smirk at that) from his people.
Note to fundies that believe every word of the Bible is literally true, Abram is 99 in verse 24 and one hundred in verse 17.
God then renames Sarai Sarah, blesses her and promises her a son and says she will be the mother of nations. Abraham laughs at God for the notion that a hundred year old man and a ninety year old woman can have a son. Abraham calls for Ishmael. God again promises a son to be named Isaac and blesses Ishmael to be fruitful and the father of twelve princes.
Abraham then circumcises himself, Ishmael and all the males of his household.
Asimov notes that the importance the Bible puts on Abraham leaving Ur of the Chaldees and traveling to Canaan is that he is the first to publicly abandon the idol worship of the Tigris/Euphrates delta and worship the one true God.
Note to fundies that believe every word of the Bible is literally true, Abram is 99 in verse 24 and one hundred in verse 17.
God then renames Sarai Sarah, blesses her and promises her a son and says she will be the mother of nations. Abraham laughs at God for the notion that a hundred year old man and a ninety year old woman can have a son. Abraham calls for Ishmael. God again promises a son to be named Isaac and blesses Ishmael to be fruitful and the father of twelve princes.
Abraham then circumcises himself, Ishmael and all the males of his household.
Asimov notes that the importance the Bible puts on Abraham leaving Ur of the Chaldees and traveling to Canaan is that he is the first to publicly abandon the idol worship of the Tigris/Euphrates delta and worship the one true God.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Genesis 16
Sarai is still childless, so she has her Egyptian maid bear one for her. Once Hagar conceived, she looked at Sarai with contempt. Abram hears Sarai's complaints and says Sarai can do with Hagar as she pleases. Awesome way to stick up for the mother of your son, Abram. So Sarai deals with Hagar harshly and Hagar, not surprisingly, runs away.
She stops to rest at a well and an angel, actually God in earthly form, appears to her. He tells her to go back and submit to Sarai, but that her son, who she shall name Ishmael, will have descendants that cannot be numbered. Further, Ishmael will be a wild ass of a man.
Hagar is amazed that she saw God and remained alive. She returns to Sarai and gives birth to Ishmael, Abram's son.
She stops to rest at a well and an angel, actually God in earthly form, appears to her. He tells her to go back and submit to Sarai, but that her son, who she shall name Ishmael, will have descendants that cannot be numbered. Further, Ishmael will be a wild ass of a man.
Hagar is amazed that she saw God and remained alive. She returns to Sarai and gives birth to Ishmael, Abram's son.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Genesis 15
Abram complains he is childless and that one of his slaves will end up being his heir. God tells him he will have a child and his descendants will be as numerous as the stars. God gives Abram a vision in his sleep about the enslavement for four hundred years of his descendants, but that they will come out of enslavement with many possessions. Further, Abram will die in peace at an old age.
God gives Abram all the land from the Nile to the Euphrates.
God gives Abram all the land from the Nile to the Euphrates.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Genesis 14
Four eastern kings make war in the Jordan Valley and Lot is taken. Abram hears of this, takes 318 of his men and pursues. His force routs them and brings Lot and his goods back. The King of Sodom blesses Abram and Abram gives the king a tenth of his goods. The king tries to give Abram his goods back. Abram refuses, saying he will not let any say that the King of Sodom made him rich.
Asimov talks about how Nimrod seems to be the only name in the Genesis 10 genealogy that is not an eponym of a tribe or region. Nimrod's kingdom in Shinar is in Sumeria, as Shinar was the Biblical term for it. Babel is the Genesis term for Babylon.
Asimov talks about how Nimrod seems to be the only name in the Genesis 10 genealogy that is not an eponym of a tribe or region. Nimrod's kingdom in Shinar is in Sumeria, as Shinar was the Biblical term for it. Babel is the Genesis term for Babylon.
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Genesis 13
Abram and company leave Egypt and head to Bethel by way of Negreb. Abram and Lot have both done well and are rich, but the land cannot support both of their flocks. Conflict has arisen between their houses causing strife among their herdsmen. Abram decides to end it and gives Lot his choice of land and Abram will take the other. Lot picks the well watered Jordan river valley near the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and Abram stays in Canaan. God gives Abram all the land he can see and tells him to walk it. God also tells Abram his descendants will be as numerous as the dust.
Asimov discusses the two Cushes. One Cush is clearly a reference to Ethiopia, but the other Cush is an Arabian tribe.
Asimov discusses the two Cushes. One Cush is clearly a reference to Ethiopia, but the other Cush is an Arabian tribe.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Genesis 12
God tells Abram to leave his country and his father's house and he will make him a great nation and bless him. Abram takes Sarai and Lot and all his possessions and moves the Canaan, which the Lord says he will give to Abram's descendants. God also promises to curse those that curse Abram. So he has that going for him.
Unfortunately, there is a famine in this promised land, so Abram goes to Egypt. Because of Sarai's beauty, Abram is afraid he will not be able to protect her himself as his husband, so he tells Sarai to say to others she is Abram's sister. A seemingly small lie, except, spoiler alert, it'll later be revealed Sarai is his half-sister. And they say Game of Thrones is twisted. So, is it really a lie?
Pharaoh sees Sarai's beauty and takes her into his harem and deals well with Abram. So basically Abram is pimping out Sarai in exchange for not just subsistence food, but for luxuries. Cool cat. God also doesn't approve, but instead of taking it out on Abram, afflicts Pharaoh's house with plagues. So the precedent has been set of messing with Hebrews yields plagues for Pharaoh, no excuse for the guy in the Moses story. He had to see it coming.
Pharaoh upbraids Abram for lying about being Sarai's husband and letting him take her into his harem. He gives Sarai back to Abram and orders him to go.
Asimov discusses how Japeth seems to be the father of the Greeks. I didn't find it interesting, so if it interests you, pick up his book.
GOD'S COMMANDMENT(S):
Genesis 12:5 - Don't curse Abram. If you do, God will curse you.
Genesis 12:17 - Don't believe Abram when he tells you his wife is his sister. Because if you take Abram's "sister" into your harem innocently, God punishes you with plagues. Because that makes sense somehow.
DIFFICULTY OF FOLLOWING COMMANDMENT(S):
I don't know Abram and don't believe I've ever cursed anyone, so think that one's pretty easy to comply with.
Believing a lie to stock my harem with a beautiful woman? Can't say I've ever come across that problem. Reason one would be the "not having a harem" thing. I'm feeling good about the ease of complying with these laws.
GOD'S DEATH TOLL THIS CHAPTER:
GOD'S RUNNING DEATH TOLL:
Unfortunately, there is a famine in this promised land, so Abram goes to Egypt. Because of Sarai's beauty, Abram is afraid he will not be able to protect her himself as his husband, so he tells Sarai to say to others she is Abram's sister. A seemingly small lie, except, spoiler alert, it'll later be revealed Sarai is his half-sister. And they say Game of Thrones is twisted. So, is it really a lie?
Pharaoh sees Sarai's beauty and takes her into his harem and deals well with Abram. So basically Abram is pimping out Sarai in exchange for not just subsistence food, but for luxuries. Cool cat. God also doesn't approve, but instead of taking it out on Abram, afflicts Pharaoh's house with plagues. So the precedent has been set of messing with Hebrews yields plagues for Pharaoh, no excuse for the guy in the Moses story. He had to see it coming.
Pharaoh upbraids Abram for lying about being Sarai's husband and letting him take her into his harem. He gives Sarai back to Abram and orders him to go.
Asimov discusses how Japeth seems to be the father of the Greeks. I didn't find it interesting, so if it interests you, pick up his book.
GOD'S COMMANDMENT(S):
Genesis 12:5 - Don't curse Abram. If you do, God will curse you.
Genesis 12:17 - Don't believe Abram when he tells you his wife is his sister. Because if you take Abram's "sister" into your harem innocently, God punishes you with plagues. Because that makes sense somehow.
DIFFICULTY OF FOLLOWING COMMANDMENT(S):
I don't know Abram and don't believe I've ever cursed anyone, so think that one's pretty easy to comply with.
Believing a lie to stock my harem with a beautiful woman? Can't say I've ever come across that problem. Reason one would be the "not having a harem" thing. I'm feeling good about the ease of complying with these laws.
GOD'S DEATH TOLL THIS CHAPTER:
GOD'S RUNNING DEATH TOLL:
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