David Miller wrote:
>> ... the text tells us that Abraham in league with God
>>was able to stop men from sleeping with his wife.
John Smithson wrote:
>There is nothing, as in "not a word" in the biblical text that
>tells us that Abraham stopped Abimelech from sleeping
>with his wife -- not a word, David.
Ok, you are right. I see now that I have injected a supposition here based upon my understanding of covenant relationship. I see little difference between saying that God stopped Abimelech and Abraham stopped Abimelech, because they are in covenant relationship with each other. Knowing your perspective a little better now, I probably would have worded this better if I had said, "God in league with Abraham was able to stop men from sleeping with Abraham's wife." Would that have been less objectionable to you?
Do you agree that there is nothing in the text that says that Abraham was willing for men to sleep with his wife? The text only says that he was willing to define his relationship to her as brother and sister.
What I see, David, is a man who tried to solve this problem without depending on God. Did he want others to sleep with his wife? I would guess "no." I am sure that he saw no other choice -- but that has been my point all along. I am not trying to humble Abraham. Rather, I was making the point that if things had been left up to Abraham, he would have created an escape that he would one day dispise, but God delivered him. If it had been up to Abraham, Ishmael would have been the first born -- clearly a manifpulation on the part of Abraham. I am reminded of the phrase, Lord "I believe, help me in my unbelief."
John
