Chapter Seven: Go for Yourself

Abstract

In this chapter, we read two non-sequential scenes from Genesis that touch upon the beginning of the complex relationship between Abram and God, which partakes of intimacy (attributed to the first generations in their contact with the creator). This chapter includes a distinction: faith, which places the concept of God above life, in contrast to tradition. Abraham is the key to the traditional man and not the man of faith, meaning that Abram and Abraham are not knights of faith. Rather, they act with cunning toward God.In the chain of descent, Adam indirectly gave birth to Noah, who fathered Shem, and thus Eber, and thus the Hebrews, from Eber to Nahor, Abram’s grandfather. Nahor’s son is Terah, who fathered Abram, Nahor II, and Lot, who is Abram’s nephew. And the story continues:Haran, Abram’s brother, Lot’s father, dies. Abram and his brother Nahor take wives: Nahor marries Milcah and Abram marries Sarai. The meaning of their names is similar. The name Milcah is connected to the word melekh, king, and the name Sarai is connected to the word sar, a minister, an official in charge of something. Immediately, we are told that Milcah is the daughter of Haran, meaning that after Haran’s death, his brother makes sure his line continues: Abram adopts Lot, and Nahor marries Haran’s daughter, his niece, and this is not incest.