Disfunctional family?

מאת: אבנר רמו

אל: avnerramu @ aol.com

We read: ואברהם בן-מאת שנה בהולד לו את יצחק בנו - “And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born to him” (Gen 21:5).

ויצא הראשון אדמוני, כלו כאדרת שער; ויקראו שמו עשו.
ואחרי-כן יצא אחיו, וידו אחזת בעקב עשו, ויקרא שמו יעקב; ויצחק בן-ששים שנה בלדת אתם.
“And the first came forth ruddy, all over like a hairy mantle; and they called his name Esau.
And after that came forth his brother, and his hand had hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was threescore years old when she bore them” (Gen 25:25-26).

ואלה ימי שני-חיי אברהם--אשר-חי: מאת שנה ושבעים שנה וחמש שנים.
ויגוע וימת אברהם בשיבה טובה, זקן ושבע; ויאסף אל-עמיו.
ויקברו אתו יצחק וישמעאל בניו אל-מערת המכפלה: אל-שדה עפרן בן-צחר החתי אשר על-פני ממרא.
“And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, a hundred threescore and fifteen years.
And Abraham expired, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.
And Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre” (Gen 25:7-9).

It appears odd that we are not told if Esau and Jacob, who were then fifteen years old attended the funeral of their grandfather Abraham. In fact the Bible never mentions that Esau and Jacob ever met their grandfather.

Now we read:
ויהיו ימי יצחק--מאת שנה ושמנים שנה.
ויגוע יצחק וימת ויאסף אל-עמיו זקן ושבע ימים; ויקברו אתו עשו ויעקב בניו.
“And the days of Isaac were a hundred and fourscore years.
And Isaac expired, and died, and was gathered unto his people, old and full of days; and Esau and Jacob his sons buried him” (Gen 35:28-29).

When Isaac died Jacob’s age was one hundred and twenty years old. Ten years later he will immigrate to Egypt with all his sons and their families (Gen 46:7; 47:8-9, 28). Yet again the Bible fails to tell us if Jacob’s sons ever met their grandfather Isaac or if any of them attended his funeral.



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