Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/207

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The Well of

the

Lesson

Covenant

189

XIV

THE WELL OF THE COVENANT (Genesis

now

Let there

and

let

us

make

XXVI,

12-33)

be an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee,

a covenant with thee.

Hatred stirreth up But love covereth

Read Micah IV,

(Genesis

(Proverbs X,

transgressions.

12.)

1-4.

The thoughtful was

28.)

strifes all

student of the Bible can not but observe

that although the last portion of the

that Isaac

XXVI,

Abraham

story implied

destined, under God's providence, to play an

important role in the history of

Israel,

actually

the

Bible

and work. In only one story Otherwise his is a role second to is he the chief actor. those of Abraham, Rebekah, and Jacob, the three persons with whom he is most intimately associated.

tells

very

And

little

even

of Isaac's

this

life

one story duplicates

in

almost every detail

what has been previously told about Abraham. The story itself consists of two episodes, that of Rebekah passing as the sister of Isaac, and that of Isaac's covenant with Abimelech.

Two

in the Bible, in

other versions of the

XII, 10-20. and

XX,

in

first

episode occur

both of which, how-

Abraham and Sarah are the chief actors. It is noteworthy that in the second of these two versions Abimelech of Gerar plays the same part as in this Isaac-Rebekah verever,

sion.

It

is

altogether unlikely that so unpleasant an event

could have occurred in one family on three separate occasions,

and that one king should have twice played the same