Monday, December 5, 2011
clarifying promises
G-d promised Avraham that he would be the father of a nation. Originally, Avraham might have thought that this would be indirect. He might have thought that since the possibility of being a father at such an old age was slim, Lot would be like his child. When Lot became corrupted, Avraham might have thought the promise was void. Hashem came to Avraham to "renew" the promise. Avraham would still become a great nation. Since Avraham might have thought Lot would be considered his descendant, Lot would also receive some of the land. Hashem clarifies that the land will go to Avraham along with his nation.
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To add to this, there was a step in between the thought that Lot would be Avraham's descendant and the actual restating of the promise where Avraham would have biological children. In fact, after Lot left Avraham because he became corrupted by Egypt, Avraham thought that the only person left to inherit him was his servant Eliezer. As we all know, Avraham seriously doubted that the promise of children applied to him AND his wife, Sarah. To clarify what Hashem meant, He said that Avraham would have children of his own and that Eliezer would not be the one to inherit him. It is not clear from Perek 15 whether the promise extends to Sarah as well.
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