Genesis Chapters 12-24

This section was very overwhelming with the amount of information that was provided. There are two main points that intrigued me while I was reading:

1. Why does God favor the second son?

2. Why do the men get cursed after Abraham deceives them by omitting that Sarah is his wife, but nothing happens to him when he has a child with Hagar?

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1. In Genesis 17:19 we see that God is again favoring the second over the first similar to Cain and Abel. God is speaking to Abraham when he says, “Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and[sic] thou shalt call his name Issac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael… behold I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.” Although he has a plan for Ishmael, the firstborn, God’s legacy will be kept by Issac: the second son. This is reminiscent of Cain and Abel where God favors Abel’s (the younger) offering but not Cain’s. Although God’s distaste with Cain could be that his offering was disrespectful because it was “of the fruit of the ground” and fruit grows on trees; however, there is that undeniable fact that the text reveals that God favors the second son (Genesis 4:3).

 

2.  I am very confused by the relationship between Abraham and Sarah. He continually asks her to present herself as his sister when they visit other nations, then when she gets married to the king of that nation, the king is cursed for trying to lay with Abraham’s wife. It makes no sense to me that these men who are unaware of her relationship status because they were deceived are cursed, as well as their nation; however, when Abraham has a child with Hagar, a woman who was well aware of his marital status, nothing happens to him. There are two instances in which Abraham’s dishonesty plagued nations. In Genesis 13 God curses the pharaoh, “and the Lord plagued Pharoah and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife” (Genesis 13:17).  Abimelech, the second king to get cursed, gives Sarah back and adds in servants and animals and is forgiven. Genesis 21:17 describes this interaction, “So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants.” If Sarah marrying other men but not laying with them is horrible enough for whole nations to be cursed, I don’t understand how it is okay for Abraham to conceive with another woman. It could be argued that there was no consequence because Sarah gave Abraham permission to lay with Hagar but, Abraham also told her to lie about their relationship knowing that the kings would want to marry her. It could also be argued that it did not count because Hagar was a maid, however, her “job” does not detract from the fact that she is a woman and she can bear children. It is difficult for me to understand that Sarah did not even do anything physical with the kings but they get cursed and have to pay Abraham in order to lift their curse but Abraham goes and has sex with another woman that bears him a child and there’s nothing wrong with that.