genesis Chapters 12, 16-18, 21-23

          I find it ironic that Abram's intention was good when he said that Sarai was his sister, as we was only trying to protect himself, but in the end, the Pharoah is angry because he was lied to, and because of that lie he suffers. This also calls into the idea that the Pharoah is a respectible man, he only took Sarai to be his wife because he thought she was single. Is the rule that you should not lay with another man's wife universal in this story then? Abram was fearful of the Egyptians, had no evidence that they would do what he thought they would do, kill him and then take his wife, yet he thought they would do just that. He was ignorant of the Pharoah's morality and Egypt's morality in general. That ignorance proves to be the reason he was forced to leave Egypt.
            In the second story Hagar the slave gives birth to a boy, this boy is the son of Abram who is 86 years old! Sarai couldn't have children, she was sterile, and she became jealous of Hagar's fertility and what Hagar represents, even though Sarai was the one who suggested to Abram to conceive with Hagar. She sees Hagar as inferior to her.
            I find the exchange between Abraham and God very interesting, the amount of fear in Abraham's voice is telling. It seems as if by questioning God Abraham is walking a very thin line. If his god wished it he would be annihilated, but his questions are of such great importance to him that he persists anyways. He doesn't want to ask if only ten good people are in Sodom would the city be spared before finding out that asking about twenty is fine, that's how afraid Abraham is. God could recent his covenant just as easily as it was given.
            I don't find it odd at all that Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son at all. He never questioned the Lord and never once thought about his actions. But what was really important though was what he said to his son, Isaac. Abraham didn't tell him that he was the sacrifice. Why was that? He was so eager to do it but he couldn't bring himself to acknowledge it to his son. Perhaps he realizes deep down in his heart that what God told him to do was wrong, that his son would be confused and afraid. His son didn't have quite the faith that Abraham did, and it also didn't occur to Abraham that the covenant God promised him would be broken if he killed his son. What if it was a trick? What if it was someone else who told him under the guise of God, would Abraham still do it? Of course he would because he knows he must obey absolutely and not to question, that's how fearful he is of the Lord.