2) In the beginning Sarah must pretend to be Abraham’s sister and ends up marrying the Pharaoh. I think she does not speak because she has nothing to say. She cares for her husband and they both think this is the only way to make sure Abraham is not killed while in Egypt. She is doing as her husband commands her too, which resembles how wives were expected to behave in this time. Once Sarah and Abraham are reunited she becomes very opinionated and Abraham listens to everything she says. An example of this is when Sarah commands Abraham to conceive a child with Hagar, her Egyptian servant.
3) The first love triangle is formed between Sarah, Abraham and Hagar because Sarah can not bore children for Abraham. She commands him to take Hagar as his wife and she will bore him children. Sarah believes that Hagar will bore the children for her. Poor Hagar is taken away from her home in Egypt and is forced to bore Sarah and Abraham’s child. Sarah becomes outraged by her decision and threatens Hagar. Hagar flees from her mistress, but the Lord convinces her to return to Sarah and bore the child from the. Sarah bores her own child in old age and when she hears Hagar’s son laughing at her she casts them both out. Even though Hagar gave up so much for Sarah and Abraham, Sarah forced them to flee again, but never to come back.
Hagar is a servant and difference in class is apparent here, Sarah and Abraham take advantage of her. She is also Egyptian and the couple is the first of the Jews, this separation of the two ethnicities begins with their story. It is ironic how Sarah and Abraham take advantage of Hagar, an Egyptian and the Egyptians will soon take advantage of the Jews (descendents of Abraham).
4) Abraham trusts God with every command that he gives him and Sarah. I think that God tests Abraham for the sole reason to see how far this trust will go and to see what power God has over mankind. Abraham will be forming a nation and will birth princes and royalty. God needs to make sure that he will have the same control over this nation as he does over Abraham. By threatening Isaac in this terrible and installing this fear into Abraham, God is passing down the authority of the voice of God. This fear is even supported by the statement the Lord makes after Abraham almost murders his son: “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” (Genesis 22)
The relationship between Abraham and the divine is very strong. God is guiding Abraham and Sarah through life to his liking. He continues to command their family and the final test is the murder of Isaac. I am happy that God didn’t actually want Isaac dead, but it is strange he tested the father in that way. It shows Abraham cares more for the divine than his own family, which is not even human.
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