Isaac, the accidental patriarch
This story is enthralling and troubling for several reasons. First, I don’t think I’ve ever read anything that’s so grim on the relationship of brothers as this first half of Genesis. Cain and Abel, Ham, Shem, and Japheth, Isaac and Ishmael, Esau and Jacob, and soon Joseph and his brothers. The relationship of brothers is purely antagonistic: They battle for inheritance, for God’s love, for their father’s respect. They conspire against each other, narc on each other, murder each other. There’s not a single act of love or kindness between brothers so far. Brothers are only enemies. Was nomadic life so difficult that only one son in any family could hope to prosper? And if brothers are bad, women are worse. The blessing story is a reminder of just how uncharitable the Bible is toward women, who have so far been either invisible, foolish, or vindictive. Think about the women so far: Eve, suckered by the serpent. Noah’s wife doesn’t even get a name. Sarah is tricky (pretends to be Abraham’s sister), capricious (sends Hagar to Abraham, then rages about it), and cruel (exiles Hagar and Ishmael). Lot’s wife dies because she can’t refrain from looking back. Lot’s daughters rape him. And Rebekah hoodwinks her husband and punishes her older son. I suppose you could argue that Rebekah, with her icy Machiavellian cunning, is a woman to be proud of. She seizes power from her husband and dominates her sons. She controls every scene she’s in. She’s vivid, if not good.
Her fierce intelligence raises another point about the story. God doesn’t suffer fools gladly. It’s clear that Esau’s chief failing is that he’s dumb. He loses his birthright because he’s impatient for lunch, and loses his blessing because he’s not smart enough to recognize that Jacob might steal it. Jacob and Rebekah, for all their faults, are smart. Abraham, Rebekah, and Jacob—the three great brains of Genesis so far—get what they want—and earn God’s blessing—because they finagle, cajole, argue, deceive, play mind games, and even use God to advance their lies. And the Lord seems to love it.
David Plotz sigue blogueando sobre la Biblia. Uds. me perdonen esta pequeña obsesión que me acompaña desde los seis años.
