Protestantism

» Migisi - Chapter 11

In response to Chapter 11 posted by pink101:

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Interesting that Abram's entire family headed for Canaan. Wonder why they left Ur. I'll do some research.
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This makes chapter 11 one of the most important kick offs in the entire Bible with the birth of Abram and his marriage to Sarah.
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I think so too. Some very neat stories coming up. Thanks for moving us along. I'll be back later. Chores to do.

-- posted by Migisi

» redback - still wet

In response to wet behind the ears posted by Migisi:

In an earlier post I stated:

"But what somebody else believes somebody else believes are simply conclusions based on truncated reasoning...and tis reasoning I'm after for my own conclusions."

This intended no criticism of anyone here. 'Truncated reasoning' intended to convey ME trying to make sense of a Biblical synopsis with each end "necessarily" cut off. Kinda like a Readers Digest Condensed version with a page or 2 "necessarily" missing. Would I ever be satisfied even with the missing pages.

Pink stated earlier on...it resonated but slipped me by:

"...There is a definite threat in all of these stories and each one leads to a need for redemption."

Genesis takes me down a stream of thought. Does that stream converge or diverge with other Genesis-developed ideas? Should I hop off at its best delta or patch the leaky boat I'm on etc?

I accept other Books and the New Testament may possibly dilute the tone of Genesis that Pink refers to. If 'threat' is too emotive a term, I'll forego mentioning 'crime & punishment'. ABC

"But I wonder if this 'book of beginnings' was originally intended to inspire, or merely record Hebrew genealogy and cultural legends."

"Inspire": I thought there was some intention to instil in us an awe of a God who can do all these things...and our powerlessness...to ever get to a level of compliance that "redeems" us...without some overpowering concession by whatever doctrinal term. The discretionary power of a President? The genesis of us needing to live in a naive profound hope that those more powerful will look after us...until Lord Acton deprived us of naivety.

-- posted by redback

» Migisi - Terah, Haran, Ur

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Terah
Quotes from:
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.j...
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"According to Joshua's remarks at the assembly of the Israelites at Shechem, he [Terah] was an idolater (Josh. xxiv. 2)... Recently the name "Terah" has been regarded as a mutilation of "yera?" (moon); in this case it would refer to a mythological person...
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"According to the Midrash (Gen. R. xxxviii.), Terah, in addition to being an idolater himself, made and sold idols; and during his absence he compelled Abraham to act as a merchant for him. The "Sefer ha-Yashar" (cites source) regards him as a great general of Nimrod, whom he accompanied on all his campaigns. Angry at Abraham for the destruction of his idols, Terah accused his son before Nimrod, who condemned him to be burned to death. Thereupon Abraham persuaded his father to emigrate to Canaan."
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So, legend has it that Terah and family left Ur to prevent Abram aka Abraham's execution.
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Haran
Quotes from:
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.j...
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"Third son of Terah and consequently the youngest brother of Abraham;... According to the Rabbis, who interpreted "Ur" to mean "fire," Haran was thrown after Abraham into the furnace by Nimrod. Haran had no firm belief in God. He said to himself: "Should Abraham perish in the furnace, I will side with Nimrod; if he come out alive, I will be with Abraham." Therefore he perished in the flames (cites sources)."
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A legend of how and why Haran died.
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Ur
Quotes from:
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.j...
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"A locality mentioned four times in the Bible (cites sources)with the qualification (= "of the Kasdim," or Chaldees), and described as the original home of Abram. Modern scholars, with few exceptions, are agreed that Ur is identical with the mound of ruins in southern Babylonia on the right bank of the Euphrates, known as Al-Mukair or Al-Mughair. This was an ancient seat of lunar worship; and it was dominant as a political center as early as 3000 B.C. Those scholars who incline to establish a connection between moon-worship ("Sin" = "moon") and the monotheism of Israel ("Sinai") find a corroboration of their theory in the fact that Abram's original home was the seat of the worship of Sin (cites sources)."

-- posted by Migisi

» pink101 - Terah, Haran, Ur

In response to Terah, Haran, Ur posted by Migisi:
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What are the authorities for these comments regarding Abram--original sources?
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Are they assumptions or from some ancient records that criss cross biblical records?

-- posted by pink101

» Migisi - Terah, Haran, Ur

In response to Terah, Haran, Ur posted by pink101:

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The Midrash, rabbinical literature, scripture references, Hebrew scholars. If you visit the links, the sources are cited in the articles.

-- posted by Migisi

» pink101 - Terah, Haran, Ur

In response to Terah, Haran, Ur posted by Migisi:

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Okay. This is like Kabbalah then.
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-- posted by pink101

» Migisi - Gen 12:1

In response to Terah, Haran, Ur posted by pink101:

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God hasn't spoken to any man for several generations - not since he last spoke to Noah. Last we heard, the LORD was scattering people all over the world. Looks like he's still doing that...

1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

-- posted by Migisi

» pink101 - Gen 12:1

In response to Gen 12:1 posted by Migisi:

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Didn't you just point out that Abram had to leave the Land of Ur under threat of his life?
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-- posted by pink101

» Migisi - Gen 12:1

In response to Gen 12:1 posted by pink101:
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Terah et al (Abram etc.) had already left (escaped) Ur by now, and all were living in Haran (except Terah's son Haran, who had died back in Ur). God's gonna make Abram leave Haran now - gonna scatter him to the 'promised land'.
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Terah had originally planned to go to Canaan with the family, but stopped short of his destination - and settled in Haran. Guess Abram's going to finish the trip to Canaan without his dad. Terah is already dead (died in Haran).
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-- posted by Migisi

» Migisi - God speaks, Abram leaves

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2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
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4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there."
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Since Abram aka Abraham is a famous Bible character, it might be good to get some background on him: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.j...
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-- posted by Migisi