8/10/2019 Genesis Xu

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- Shuang Xu 1 -

Shuang Xu

UNI: sx2125

Genesis XII-XXXVI: The Patriarchal Cycle

Discuss !raha"#s c$n%ersati$n &ith G$' a!$ut the (ate $( S$'$" an' G$"$rrah inGenesis 1):1*-++, $& '$es !raha"#s relati$nshi. &ith G$'/ as 'e"$nstrate' here/c$".are &ith $ther relati$nshi.s y$u#%e rea' a!$ut !et&een g$'s an' "$rtals/ either inGree0 literature $r earlier in Genesis

The conversation between Abraham and God in Genesis 18: 16-33 is unique in itsestablishment of the relationship between the mortal man Abraham and the holy God Thee!cerpt be"ins with God#s uncertainty God is contemplatin" whether or not he should reveal to

Abraham his investi"ation of $odom and Gomorrah% sayin"% &$hall ' hide from Abraham what ' amabout to do% seein" that Abraham shall become a "reat and mi"hty nation% and all the nations ofthe earth shall bless themselves by him() 'n one way% this self-inquiry and self doubt ma*es Godseem almost mortal-li*e% for he has doubts about his actions and therefore seems imperfect withmortal-li*e flaws This characteristic of God resembles that of the immortal "ods of Gree*literature +or e!ample% ,eus is mortal-li*e and imperfect for his lust for other women% while era

is flawed in her .ealousy Also% here% God is bein" very considerate and carin" toward a mortalGod#s speech insinuates that he reco"ni/es Abraham as a "reat man% and he ta*es this intoaccount as he contemplates what he should do This God#s care for a specific mortal individualresembles the way "ods of Gree* literature favors certain individuals 0for e!ample% Athena favorsdysseus2% and this God#s care for a man resembles the be"innin" of Genesis% when Godcreates woman because he did not want man to be lonely

This e!cerpt of Genesis 18 continues with the conversation between Abraham and God%which reveals a unique relationship between God and mortal not characteri/ed in the Gree*literature or in the earlier sections of Genesis As Abraham as*s God &wilt thou indeed destroy theri"hteous with the wic*ed( suppose there are fifty ri"hteous with in the city4 wilt thou thendestroy the place and not spare for the fifty ri"hteous forty-five thirty twenty ten) he issubtly chan"in" God#s initial decision and is convincin" God to not destroy $odom and Gomorrahwith reasonin": if God would not destroy a city with fifty ri"hteous% why would he destroy a city

with ten ri"hteous( 5hy would God destroy a city that he *nows probably contains someri"hteous people( 'n the end% when God answers% & +or the sa*e of ten ' will not destroy it thecity7%) it is revealed that in a way Abraham has succeeded in convincin" God to a de"ree withmortal wit This seem to ma*e the mortal more powerful before God in comparison to the mortalin the Gree* literature% who can be favored by the "ods by performin" sacrifices but can rarelyalter "ods# decision with lo"ic The way that Abraham% a mortal% was able to convince God ma*esmortal seem no less intelli"ent than the immortal God% and this is different from the earliersections of Genesis% which seems to distin"uish God as the superior bein" that creates man%punishes man and woman% and is able to test mortals

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