… Sarah does not appear in ch. 24. Searching straight back along the tale, the site might be just to the daddy which, early in the brand new chapter, believed he was next to dying. It’s possible thus your concluding sentence ran: ‘So Isaac is comforted following death of his father.’…
Gunkel’s solution is perhaps not enough, but not. Their disagreement that “if the slave comes to Isaac, Isaac says to your one their father have passed away regarding the interim,” ignores that new slave means Isaac while the “his learn” till the a couple of got a way to speak (v. 65), at which part, this new slave lack known one to Abraham had died. Additionally, the newest observe from the Isaac looking morale to own their mother’s demise connects naturally so you can Sarah demise (ch. 23), which means that there’s absolutely no justification so you can emend new verse so you’re able to “dad.”
A great Fragment away from Traditions
I will suggest one originally it actually was Isaac, presumably on his own effort, whom sends regarding his slave locate him a spouse. Therefore, in the event the slave efficiency having Rebecca, he gifts their unique straight away to Isaac.
As i dispute in my own “Isaac prior to He had been Abraham’s Young man” (TheTorah 2020), Abraham used to be another patriarch, exactly who supported alone since the “father” of the nation
A publisher revised the bulk of the fresh story (vv. 1–52), that originally worried about Isaac only, to present Abraham due to the fact one who taken care of their child and create for their relationships just before their death. Hence, the person identifies “his grasp Abraham” (vv. several, 27, 42, 48) which will be named “Abraham’s servant” (vv. 34, 52), and far of your own conversation is about this new servant looking good wife with the master’s young buck.
An excellent fragment of your first style of the newest narrative are kept off v. 53, and this describes the new servant’s provide so you can Rebecca’s aunt and you will mommy, before the end of one’s narrative, with only a few editorial glosses (vv. 59, and you can 67a).
Right here, brand new servant are described just just like the “brand new servant” otherwise “the man” (vv. 53, 58, 61, 65 [twice], 66), that will just as easily be a mention of Isaac’s servant. Much more somewhat, starting with verse 54, we find “the latest slave” speaking-to Rebecca’s mommy and you can sibling about “my grasp” (vv. 54, 56) as opposed to “my learn Abraham” (as in vv. 12, 27, 35–37, 39, 42, 48):
?????? ??:?? ????????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ????? ?????????? ????????? ????????? ???????????? ????? ????????? ???????????. ??:?? ??????????? ???????????? ???? ????????????? ?????? ?????? ??????????? ??????????? ???????? ????????? ??????????? ????????. ??:?? ????????? ??????? ??? ?????????? ????? ???????? ????????? ????????? ???????????? ????????? ????????.
Gen The fresh new servant brought out objects from silver and gold, and you can garments, and you will provided them to Rebecca; and he gave merchandise to their brother along with her mommy. Then and guys having your ate and you venezuelanska heta kvinnor will ingested, and additionally they invested the night. Once they arose second day, he said, “Give me get-off to consult with my grasp.”… The guy said to all of them, “Don’t impede me personally, given that YHWH made my personal errand winning. Offer myself get off that i may go back at my learn.”
From here until verse 65, the fresh new slave seems to be discussing Isaac when he claims “my grasp;” it is clear as he shows you in order to Rebecca exactly who the man dealing with all of them are.
As to why try the storyline reworked to help make the step with the ‘s the reason rather than Isaac’s? In the first place, brand new Abraham and you may Isaac reports have been independent traditions, and you can just weren’t linked: Isaac was not Abraham’s son. At the same time, Isaac and his son Jacob-the daddy of Israel-belonged in order to a multiple, separate, national culture.