6.1.11 Gen. 21: Isaac’s birth, Hagar and Ishmael, covenant with Abimelech

The first part of the promise to Abraham is fulfilled with Isaac’s birth. It is  actually the greatest part, because it’s the most unbelievable. Thus, in principle, nothing now stands in the way of the further history of the blessing of  Abraham. 

Then again the somber minor – sounds: the Hagar-Ismael thread is  taken up again. This time it is not the rivalry between the two women,  but that between the two boys. There is a lot of psychological sensitivity in  this saddening tale, and Abraham, who here is actually also only a victim  of the family quarrel, does not come out of it entirely without blame. After  all, he has given Sara a free hand, and so disaster is brewing over his  own surrogate son. 

In the very differentiated account of the treaty with King Abimelech, on  the other hand, Abraham is portrayed as an excellent negotiator, a  prudent thinker and a far-sighted fellow human being.