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Abraham: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Jan Victors or Rembrandt Studio - Abraham and the 3 Angels.jpg|thumb|alt=Abraham with his followers and flocks|Abraham entertaining the three angels]] | [[File:Jan Victors or Rembrandt Studio - Abraham and the 3 Angels.jpg|thumb|alt=Abraham with his followers and flocks|Abraham entertaining the three angels]] | ||
Hebrew patriarch and progenitor of the twelve tribes of Israel (c. 2100–1700 B.C.), an embodiment of the Ascended Master [[El Morya]]. Jews, Christians and Moslems accord him the place in history as the first to worship the one true God. In the biblical account of his life, he is originally referred to as Abram (meaning “the father, or my father, is exalted”) and is later named by God Abraham. Traditionally taken to mean “father of a multitude of nations” from the passage in Gen. 17:5, Abraham is currently thought to be a dialectic variant of Abram. | Hebrew patriarch and progenitor of the twelve tribes of Israel (c. 2100–1700 <small>B.C.</small>), an embodiment of the Ascended Master [[El Morya]]. Jews, Christians and Moslems accord him the place in history as the first to worship the one true God. In the biblical account of his life, he is originally referred to as Abram (meaning “the father, or my father, is exalted”) and is later named by God Abraham. Traditionally taken to mean “father of a multitude of nations” from the passage in Gen. 17:5, Abraham is currently thought to be a dialectic variant of Abram. | ||
== Historical evidence == | == Historical evidence == | ||
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Scholars once widely assumed that Abraham was either a mythical being or a simple nomadic or semi-nomadic Semite and that the biblical narrative of his life could not be read strictly as a biography because it was written more than one thousand years after the events it described. Many liberal Bible scholars, as Richard N. Ostling wrote in ''Time'' magazine, treated Abraham “not as a historical figure, but as a sort of Semetic King Arthur.” | Scholars once widely assumed that Abraham was either a mythical being or a simple nomadic or semi-nomadic Semite and that the biblical narrative of his life could not be read strictly as a biography because it was written more than one thousand years after the events it described. Many liberal Bible scholars, as Richard N. Ostling wrote in ''Time'' magazine, treated Abraham “not as a historical figure, but as a sort of Semetic King Arthur.” | ||
However, since World War I archaeological finds at two third-millennium B.C. cities, Ebla and Mari, have revealed that a sophisticated literary and urban culture existed before and during Abraham’s time. This has forced scholars not only to reevaluate the traditional mythical or pastoral image of the patriarch, but also to seriously reconsider the Old Testament as a historical document. | However, since World War I archaeological finds at two third-millennium <small>B.C.</small> cities, Ebla and Mari, have revealed that a sophisticated literary and urban culture existed before and during Abraham’s time. This has forced scholars not only to reevaluate the traditional mythical or pastoral image of the patriarch, but also to seriously reconsider the Old Testament as a historical document. | ||
== The Biblical account == | == The Biblical account == | ||
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The first-century historian Josephus seems to indicate that Abraham was a man of noble birth and military might. Quoting earlier sources, Josephus wrote: “Abram reigned at Damascus, being a foreigner, who came with an army out of the land above Babylon, called the land of the Chaldeans. But after a long time he got him up, and removed from that country also with his people, and went into the land then called the land of Canaan, but now the land of Judaea.” | The first-century historian Josephus seems to indicate that Abraham was a man of noble birth and military might. Quoting earlier sources, Josephus wrote: “Abram reigned at Damascus, being a foreigner, who came with an army out of the land above Babylon, called the land of the Chaldeans. But after a long time he got him up, and removed from that country also with his people, and went into the land then called the land of Canaan, but now the land of Judaea.” | ||
In addition, archaeological evidence has shown that Canaan was not populated by semi-nomads but was a land of culturally advanced city kingdoms. Eminent biblical archaeologist William F. Albright advanced the theory that Abraham lived around 1800 B.C. and “was a wealthy caravaneer and merchant whose relations with the native princes and communities were fixed by contracts and treaties (covenants).” Others have described the patriarch as the charismatic chief of a clan of herdsmen, farmers and warriors. Scholar Zecharia Sitchin claims that Abraham was a Sumerian nobleman born as early as 2123 B.C. who was descended from a priestly family of royal blood and who had a large household and a private army. | In addition, archaeological evidence has shown that Canaan was not populated by semi-nomads but was a land of culturally advanced city kingdoms. Eminent biblical archaeologist William F. Albright advanced the theory that Abraham lived around 1800 B.C. and “was a wealthy caravaneer and merchant whose relations with the native princes and communities were fixed by contracts and treaties (covenants).” Others have described the patriarch as the charismatic chief of a clan of herdsmen, farmers and warriors. Scholar Zecharia Sitchin claims that Abraham was a Sumerian nobleman born as early as 2123 <small>B.C.</small> who was descended from a priestly family of royal blood and who had a large household and a private army. | ||
The Book of Genesis, in fact, portrays Abraham as a “mighty prince” in the land—a powerful chieftain who deals with kings, makes military alliances and negotiates land purchases. He loves peace, is skilled in war and magnanimous in victory. He embodies the ideals of justice, righteousness, integrity and hospitality, and is also described as a prophet and an intercessor before God. But, most importantly, Abraham is the prototype of the man who holds strong to his faith in the Lord’s repeated promises that he will be a “father of many nations”—even when outer circumstances seem to indicate just the opposite. | The Book of Genesis, in fact, portrays Abraham as a “mighty prince” in the land—a powerful chieftain who deals with kings, makes military alliances and negotiates land purchases. He loves peace, is skilled in war and magnanimous in victory. He embodies the ideals of justice, righteousness, integrity and hospitality, and is also described as a prophet and an intercessor before God. But, most importantly, Abraham is the prototype of the man who holds strong to his faith in the Lord’s repeated promises that he will be a “father of many nations”—even when outer circumstances seem to indicate just the opposite. | ||
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The Bible records that when Abraham was 75 and his father had died, the Lord called him to forsake all—his kindred and his father’s house, the culture and cults of Mesopotamia—and journey to “a land that I will show thee.” The Lord promised: “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.”<ref>Gen. 12:2.</ref> | The Bible records that when Abraham was 75 and his father had died, the Lord called him to forsake all—his kindred and his father’s house, the culture and cults of Mesopotamia—and journey to “a land that I will show thee.” The Lord promised: “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.”<ref>Gen. 12:2.</ref> | ||
Abraham left Ur with his wife, Sarai (whose name was later changed by God to Sarah), his nephew Lot, and “all their substance that they had gathered and the souls that they had gotten in Haran.” When they arrived in the land of Canaan, the Lord appeared to Abraham and again promised, “Unto thy seed will I give this land.” And it is written that here Abraham erected an altar to Yahweh “and called upon the name of the | Abraham left Ur with his wife, Sarai (whose name was later changed by God to Sarah), his nephew Lot, and “all their substance that they had gathered and the souls that they had gotten in Haran.” When they arrived in the land of Canaan, the Lord appeared to Abraham and again promised, “Unto thy seed will I give this land.” And it is written that here Abraham erected an altar to Yahweh “and called upon the name of the L<small>ORD</small>.”<ref>Gen. 12:8.</ref> | ||
[[File:Abraham meets Melchisedech (San Marco).jpg|thumb|left|alt=caption|Abraham meeting Melchizedek, mosaic in St. Mark's Basilica, Venice (13th century)]] | [[File:Abraham meets Melchisedech (San Marco).jpg|thumb|left|alt=caption|Abraham meeting Melchizedek, mosaic in St. Mark's Basilica, Venice (13th century)]] | ||
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Thirteen years later, when Abraham was 99 and Sarah 90, the Lord revealed himself to the patriarch as El Shaddai, “the Almighty God,” and established an everlasting covenant with Abraham to be a God unto him and his seed. He promised to give Abraham and his descendants “all the land of Canaan.... Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.”<ref>Gen. 17:8, 5.</ref> | Thirteen years later, when Abraham was 99 and Sarah 90, the Lord revealed himself to the patriarch as El Shaddai, “the Almighty God,” and established an everlasting covenant with Abraham to be a God unto him and his seed. He promised to give Abraham and his descendants “all the land of Canaan.... Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.”<ref>Gen. 17:8, 5.</ref> | ||
[[File:Tissot Abraham and the Three Angels.jpg|thumb|alt=caption|''Abraham and the Three Angels'']] | [[File:Tissot Abraham and the Three Angels.jpg|thumb|alt=caption|''Abraham and the Three Angels'', James Tissot (c. 1900)]] | ||
The Lord also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah and told Abraham that she would be “a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.”<ref>Gen. 17:16.</ref> He revealed that Sarah would bear a son, Isaac, “at this set time in the next year” and that Isaac, not Ishmael, was to be Abraham’s heir. | The Lord also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah and told Abraham that she would be “a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.”<ref>Gen. 17:16.</ref> He revealed that Sarah would bear a son, Isaac, “at this set time in the next year” and that Isaac, not Ishmael, was to be Abraham’s heir. | ||