No Place for Yitzhak?

As a character, Yitzhak emerges as much more one-dimensional than the other Patriarchs. After Genesis 22, we see less and less of him, and it is difficult even to identify what his personality is--despite the fact that he is one of the key players in the overall biblical narrative. In Genesis 26:24, we read:

And YHWH was seen by him on that night and said:
I am the God of Avraham your father.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you,
I will bless you and will make your seed many, for the sake of
Avraham my servant.

What, if anything, does this passage tell us about the nature of Yitzhak's relationship with/to God? How does God view Yitzhak? Feel free to refer to other passages as well in order to contextualize your answers.

Please post your response no later than Thursday, February 28, 4pm.

A Bizarre Love Triangle: Avraham, Sara, and Hagar

In Genesis 21, we find that the relationship between Sara and Hagar has become even more complicated than it was last time we encountered the two women. And, of course, the relationship between Avraham and Sarah, as well as Avraham and Hagar, is necessarily more complicated as well. It seems that we have here the beginnings of the first dysfunctional family--a family that will only get more and more dysfunctional as the generations progress.

But for this blog entry, I would like you to think about family dynamics, and respond to what you see happening between the two women or between Avraham and the women. If, indeed, the most dominant theme of the Hebrew bible is the notion of ethical responsibility, how does it figure into this story of a bizarre love triangle gone wrong?

Please post your response no later than 10:30am on Thursday, February 21.