Abraham is called the "father of faith." His original name was Abram (great father), but he later received a new name from God, Abraham (father of many nations). ## Before the Migration to Canaan After Noah's Flood, memories of God faded, and people lived serving their own idols. At that time, God appeared to Abraham, who was living in Ur in the land of Chaldea, and told him to migrate to the land of Canaan and form a new nation.
Joshua 24:2I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his offspring, and gave him Isaac.Joshua 24:3I gave to Isaac Jacob and Esau): and I gave to Esau Mount Seir, to possess it. Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.
그러나 흔히 우르에 있던 아브라함에게 하나님이 가나안으로 옮기라고 말씀하신 것으로 알려져 있지만,
하나님은 아브라함 뿐만 아니라 아브라함의 아버지 데라에게도 하나님이 고향을 떠나라고 이야기를 하신 것이다.
그래서 아브라함과 그 아버지의 일족은 우르를 떠나 이동을 한다.
Genesis 11:31The days of Terah were two hundred five years. Terah died in Haran.Genesis 11:32The days of Terah were two hundred five years. Terah died in Haran.
그러나 데라는 가나안 땅까지 가다가 중간에 하란에 머물게 된 것이다.
Genesis 12:1I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing.Genesis 12:2I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who treats you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”Genesis 12:3So Abram went, as Yahweh had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.Genesis 12:4Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go into the land of Canaan. They entered into the land of Canaan.Genesis 12:5Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time, Canaanites were in the land.
약속의 말씀을 받고 가나안 땅으로 온 아브라함을 맞이한 것은 기근이었다.
그러나 애굽으로 가서는 자신의 아내 사래가 애굽 왕에게 빼앗김을 당하고 자신은 죽임을 당할까 두려운 나머지 자신의 누이동생이라 속이게 된다.
애굽 왕에게 사래는 바쳐지고 아브라함은 그 지참금으로 많은 재물을 받게 되었는데, 그날 하나님이 애굽 왕 바로의 집에 큰 재앙을 내리심으로 말미암아 사래는 바로의 아내가 되는 것을 피해 다시 아브라함에게 돌아오게 된다.
Genesis 12:10When he had come near to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at.Genesis 12:11It will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive.Genesis 12:12Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.”Genesis 12:13When Abram had come into Egypt), Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.Genesis 12:14The princes of Pharaoh) saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.Genesis 12:15He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.Genesis 12:16Yahweh afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.Genesis 12:17Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife?Genesis 12:18Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.”Genesis 12:19Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they escorted him away with his wife and all that he had.Genesis 12:20Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they escorted him away with his wife and all that he had.
애굽에서 받아온 재물로 큰 부자가 된 아브라함은 가나안 땅에 정착을 하게 되는데, 좁은 목초지에 자신과 조카 롯 소유의 양떼들이 같이 머물기가 어려워 다툼이 일어나게 된다.
롯은 그 당시 부유한 소돔과 고모라를 보고 그쪽으로 나가기를 선택하고, 아브라함은 계속 남아있기로 결정하게 된다.
Genesis 13:5The land was not able to bear them, that they might live together; for their possessions were so great that they couldn’t live together.Genesis 13:6There was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land at that time.Genesis 13:7Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are relatives.Genesis 13:8Isn’t the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left.”Genesis 13:9Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar.Genesis 13:10So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot traveled east, and they separated themselves from one other.Genesis 13:11Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.Genesis 13:12Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against Yahweh.
가나안 지역의 고대 국가들 사이에 전쟁이 벌어지게 되고, 조카 롯도 거기에 휘말려 잡혀가게 되는데, 아브라함은 자신의 집안 사람들을 데리고 공격하여 롯을 구출해낸다.
Genesis 14:11They took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who lived in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.Genesis 14:12One who had escaped came and told Abram, the Hebrew. At that time, he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner. They were allies of Abram.Genesis 14:13When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led out his three hundred eighteen trained men, born in his house, and pursued as far as Dan.Genesis 14:14He divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.Genesis 14:15He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot and his goods, and the women also, and the other people.Genesis 14:16The king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).Genesis 14:17Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High.
그리고 돌아오는 길에 멜기세덱을 만나게 된다. (자세한건 멜기세덱참조)
Genesis 15:1Abram said, “Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”Genesis 15:2Abram said, “Behold, you have given no children to me: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir.”Genesis 15:3Behold, Yahweh’s word came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir, but he who will come out of your own body will be your heir.”Genesis 15:4Yahweh brought him outside, and said, “Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “So your offspring will be.”Genesis 15:5He believed in Yahweh, who credited it to him for righteousness.Genesis 15:6He said to Abram, “I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it.”
그리고 이런 하나님의 말씀을 믿으니 의로 여기셨다고 나와있는데, 이것이 성경에 언급된 최초의 의이며 이신칭의의 기본이 된다.
Romans 4:3Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as something owed.
그러나, 아브라함은 이렇게 하나님과 언약을 맺은 뒤에도 하갈을 첩으로 들여 아들 이스마엘을 낳게 된다.
Genesis 16:16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
Genesis 17:1I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”
그리고 새롭게 언약을 다시 갱신하면서 할례를 명하시게 되고, 아브라함과 그 집의 모든 남자들이 다 할례를 받게 된다.
이후, 아브라함은 죄악으로 가득찬 소돔과 고모라를 심판하시려는 하나님을 만나 그 도시를 위해 중보하게 된다.
창세기 18장 참조
이처럼 두번의 언약을 맺은 뒤에도 아브라함은 아비멜렉(그랄 왕)에게 아내 사라를 누이라 속여 목숨을 건지려 한다.
창세기 20장 참조
아들 이삭이 태어나고, 이스마엘은 내보내게 된다.
하나님은 아브라함을 시험하시기 위해 이삭을 바치라는 말씀을 하시고, 아브라함은 모리아 땅으로 가 이삭을 바치려 한다. 그러다 하나님의 천사가 나타나 대신 숫양으로 제물을 바치고 돌아온다.
아내 사라가 127세를 살고 죽고 난뒤, 그 묘지로 마므레동쪽 막벨라를 구입하는데, 이곳은 나중에 헤브론이 되는 지역이다.
아들 이삭을 결혼시킨 뒤에, 아브라함은 나중에 그두라라는 후처를 맞이한다.
그 사이에서 시므란, 욕산, 므단, 미디안, 이스박, 수아를 낳게 된다.
아브라함은 이들에게 재산을 주고 자신의 적장자 이삭을 떠나 동방으로 떠나도록 하고,