Geneology Blues

Genesis 11: 10-32

Moses sure knows how to slow down a story. Another big section of begittings and begattings- at least if you use the KJV (which I don't).

Not much here that I found to grab hold of- but here's a couple of observations:

Shem was 98 at the end of the flood. I always picture Noah's sons much younger. I guess because of the whole disrespecting naked dad thing that follows- they seem much more like 15 than 100. Maybe Ham was much younger-they could have been more spaced out age-wise since these OT folks seem to have much greater virility than senior citizens of today (Shem had a son at 100). But it seems like they might have matured beyond laughing at dad, but I guess at 33 I haven't, so who am I to talk?

OK- this took a little family tree sketch to figure out but apparently Abram's brother Nahor married his niece Milcah. It makes sense that when your down to 8 people, there has to be some inbreeding to populate the world, but at what point did this become taboo? I guess royalty was still doing this in the realtively recent past, but it still seems a little icky.

It's also interesting that Abram's dad Terah takes Abram, Sarai (mrs. Abram), and his orphaned grandson Lot to set out for Canaan, leaving the incestuous duo behind (also Milcah and Lot's brother Iscah). It could have been coincidence, maybe Nahor and Milcah liked where they were, maybe they were just more independent. Could it be disapproval of the union? OK- way out on a limb here I know- nothing to suggest it except my wanting to condemn the union...but it's a geneology, cut me some slack.

Also curious that in the age of octocenturians, Haran dies before his dad who only lived to the brief age of 205. No explanation of how or why but it doesn't seem overly common to read about death before old age. OK, you've got Abel- and the whole world with the flood- but in the lists (and lists)of names, it seems like most of these folks are wearing out an awful lot of sandals before calling it quits.

So nothing here that really speaks to me about how to live more for God- but at least some expostition set up for Abram.

I'll be-getting along. Talk to you tomorrow,
Chip