… Sarah does not can be found in ch. 24. Appearing back along side story, this new source could be only to the daddy exactly who, at the beginning of the newest part, felt that he was near to passing. It is possible hence that the finishing phrase ran: ‘Thus Isaac is actually comfortable following loss of their father.’…

Gunkel’s option would be perhaps not enough, yet not. Their argument that “when the slave concerns Isaac, Isaac tells him that his dad has died regarding meantime,” ignores the truth that the fresh servant refers to Isaac since “their learn” till the two had the opportunity to cam (v. 65), from which point, brand new servant lack understood you to definitely Abraham had died. More over, the fresh see regarding Isaac finding spirits getting his mom’s dying links without a doubt so you’re able to Sarah dying (ch. 23), and therefore there’s absolutely no good reason to help you emend this new verse so you’re able to “father.”

An effective Fragment from Lifestyle

I would recommend one to originally it actually was Isaac, allegedly on his own initiative, exactly who directs regarding his slave to obtain him a partner. Hence, if the servant efficiency having Rebecca, he gifts their unique right to Isaac.

As i argue within my “Isaac before He had been Abraham’s Young man” (TheTorah 2020), Abraham was previously a separate patriarch, who supported alone since “father” of the country

An editor changed the majority of the newest story (vv. 1–52), one to in the first place worried about Isaac simply, to provide Abraham just like the one who looked after their young man and you will install for his wedding prior to their demise. For this reason, the guy describes “his master Abraham” (vv. 12, twenty-seven, 42, 48) and that’s called “Abraham’s slave” (vv. 34, 52), and far of your conversation is mostly about new servant interested in good spouse into master’s young buck.

Good fragment of one’s very first form of the fresh new story was preserved off v. 53, hence identifies the fresh new servant’s present so you can Rebecca’s sibling and you will mom, up until the avoid of your own story, in just a small number of article glosses (vv. 59, and 67a).

Right here, the servant try labeled only given that “the slave” or “the person” (vv. 53, 58, 61, 65 [twice], 66), that’ll exactly as be easily a mention of Isaac’s servant hur du tar reda pГҐ om nГҐgon frГҐn en datingsida och kommer frГҐn ett annat land lurar dig. Significantly more notably, starting with verse 54, we find “the latest slave” talking to Rebecca’s mom and you can cousin on “my personal learn” (vv. 54, 56) in place of “my grasp Abraham” (such as vv. 12, 27, 35–37, 39, 42, 48):

?????? ??:?? ????????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ????? ?????????? ????????? ????????? ???????????? ????? ????????? ???????????. ??:?? ??????????? ???????????? ???? ????????????? ?????? ?????? ??????????? ??????????? ???????? ????????? ??????????? ????????. ??:?? ????????? ??????? ??? ?????????? ????? ???????? ????????? ????????? ???????????? ????????? ????????.

Gen The slave brought out stuff out-of silver and gold, and you may garments, and you can gave them to Rebecca; in which he gave gifts in order to their unique aunt along with her mom. Then together with guys which have him ate and you will eaten, as well as invested the evening. After they arose next morning, the guy said, “Bring myself get off to consult with my personal master.”… The guy believed to all of them, “Do not reduce me personally, now that YHWH made my errand profitable. Render me log off that i may go to my grasp.”

From this point up to verse 65, the slave seems to be talking about Isaac when he says “my personal master;” this is clear when he explains to help you Rebecca just who the guy handling them try.

As to the reasons are the storyline reworked to help make the step toward ‘s and not Isaac’s? To start with, new Abraham and you will Isaac tales was indeed independent life, and you will weren’t connected: Isaac was not Abraham’s young man. At the same time, Isaac and his awesome child Jacob-the father from Israel-belonged in order to a simultaneous, separate, national traditions.