Genesis Vol 3.pdf - College Press

17:1-27 GENESIS
regarded as queer. That is why it is not easy for every
modern reader, who is not familiar with the ancient back-
ground and literatures, to understand that aspect of He-
brew society. For the ancient Hebrews, the human and
divine intermingled freely. The early direct relationship
between men and gods is common to all the epics: Ugarit,
Mesopotamian, Greek and proto-patriarchal. This simple
personal contact between men and God was gradually
eliminated.” Again: “A charming tradition illustrates how
Abraham, on intimate terms with the Lord, dared to inter-
cede with him, in the famous dialogue over the problem
of the wicked people of Sodom and its few, hypothetical
righteous men.” (Cf. Moises and God, Exo. 19:7-15 ; Num.
11:lO-23, 14:ll-35). But, note Lange’s comment
(CDHCG, 424) : “That the interpreter . , . knows nothing
of a laugh of astonishment, in connection with full faith,
indeed, in the immediate experience of the events (Psa.
126:l-2) is evident. . . . We may confidently infer from
the different judgments of Abraham’s laughter here, and
that of Sarah, which is recorded afterward, that there was
an important distinction in the states of mind from which
they sprang. The characteristic feature in the narration
here is, that Abraham fell upon his face, as at first, after
the promise, v. 2.” “The laughter of Abraham was the
exultation of joy, not the smile of unbelief” (Augustine,
De Ciw. Dei, 16, 26). Certainly the laughter of Sarah
later (18:lZ-lj) was one of incredulity, but the concept
of Abraham in a derisive attitude toward God is not in
keeping with the patriarch’s character. Murphy (MG,
311) : “From the reverential attitude assumed by Abra-
ham we infer that his laughter sprang from joyful and
grateful surprise. Said in his heurt. The following ques-
tions of wonder are not addressed to God; they merely
agitate the breast of the astonished patriarch. Hence his
irrepressible smile arises not from any doubt of the fulfill-
ment of the promise, but from surprise at the unexpected
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