GENESIS 11.32-12.6 you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."• 4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. ·

·Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go 12from · your country and your kin­ dred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a bless­ ing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and _a Or by_you all the families of the earth shall bless the one wlio curses you-1 will curse; and in- themselves

12.1-3: The LoRD's calf and promise to Abraham initiates a I major new movement in the story of Genesis. This is the first of three divine speeches in which a patriarch is given travel directions and promises of blessing (12·.1-3; 26.2-5; 46.1-4; see also 31.3,13). The combination of command (v. 1) and promise (vv. 2-3) implies that the LORD's fulfillment of the promise will follow upon Abraham's fulfill~ menT:of the command. 1: This command to Abraham is similar to, and may have been rnodele'i:I ori, tl:ie later c;livine command for Jacob to return to the "tand of your ancestors and to your kindred" (31.3) and to "the land of your birth" (31.13). 2: The promise that a great nation will come from Abraham stands in tension with S'arah's barrenness in 11.30. Much of the following narrative revolves around this tension. Nation implies not just a numerous people (cf. 13.16; 15.5; etc.), but a politically independent social grou~. I will bless you, involves giving Abraham the power to flourish in flocks, other riches, and offspring (12.16; 13.2,5,16; etc.; cf. Job 42.12-13). And make your name great, to have one's name made great is to become famous. The LORD promises Abraham a fame similar to that promised to Israelite kings (2 Sam 7.9; 1 Kings 1.47). Thus Abraham, as heir of Shem (see p.20-26n.)- which means "name" in Hebr~w-gains the great "name" that the peoples at Babel had fptilely sought for themselves (cf. 11.4). So that you will be a blessing, implies that those associated with Abraham and his heirs will flourish as well. Later Laban (30.27-30) and Potiphar (39.5) will both gain blessing through their association with Abraham's heirs. 3: Th~ugh obscured in the translation, the promise to curse the one who curses Abra­ ham is a slight modification of a similar formula. Whereas the parallel texts (e.g., 27.29; Num 24.9) speak of God cursing the one who curses, the LORD in this text promises to curse anyone who even "treats [Abraham] lightly." In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed has been a particularly important passage in the Christian tradition. Building on the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, the Septuagint, Paul interpreted this a's a blessing of the Gentiles throhgh Abraham (Gal 3.8). Yet the closest analogies to tl'iis promise sqggest that th~ alternate translation, by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves, i.e., they will say "may we be like Abraham," is probably closer to the meaning of the Hebrew. Like 48.20, it envisions other nations of the world looking to Abraham's great blessing and wishing a similar one on themselves (see Ps 72.17). Later in the narrative we see this kind of recognition of Abraham and his heirs' special blessing by foreigners like Abi~elech (26.28), Laban (30.27), Potiphar 0 (39.3!...5), Joseph's jailer (39.21-23), Pharaoh (Ex 1.9), Jethro (Ex 18.10-12), and Balaam (24.1). 12.4-9: Abraham's first journey to the land. 46-5: Part of the Priestly Abraham narrative.

1 27 HEBREW BIBLE] MARK 1.4-,:f.l 6 MAR:K l.l 7..!.L38 casting a net into the sea-for they were fi~hermen. l7 And Jesus said to them, "Fol­ ldw me and I will 'make you fish for· peo­ plei !' 18 And immediately they left tneirnets and followe

16 As Jesus passed alqng the Sea of Gali~ lee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew

1.16-20: Call of disciples (Mt 4.18-22; Lk 5.1-11; 1n 1.35-42). Sea of Galilee· or the Lake of Gennesaret is a latge,lake in a deep basin mostly surrounded by high hills. Simon, al~d called Peter (3.16). [ 59 NEW TESTAMENT ) [ 58 NEW TESTAMENT] The Blood Cloe 1536

destitute, you serve your guests generously, and you help the deserving who are afflicted by misfortune.' "She then accompanied him to her .cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal, who, dur­ ing the period of ignorance in pre-Islamic Arabia, became a Christian and used 96 to write the scriptures in Arabic. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as God willed for him to write. He was then an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadijah said to him, 'O my cousin! Listen co the story of your The Blood Clot nephew.' Waraqah asked, 'O my nephew! What have you seen?' The Messen­ ger of God described what he saw. Waraqah said, 'This is the Ntimus [from the al-~laq. Greek nomos, indicating a revealed law] that God sent to Moses. I wish I were young and could live until the time when your people will drive you out.' The Messengerof God said, 'Will they drive me out?' Waraqah replied, 'Yes, no man has come with something similar to what, 'you have brought but that he was created with hostility and enmity; and ifl should remain alive till chat day, chen l-"Alaq is an early Makkansurah. ;rbe first five verses are considered by I would firmly support you'" (Bg, IK, Q). The surah begins with an injunction A most co be the first verses of1:he,~ran co be revealed; the remaining to recite (vv. 1-5) followed by an admonition of mankind in general (vv. 6-8) verses were revealed later in the Makkan period when opposition to and a more specific admonition of those who prevent others from practicing the revelation arose among the leaders of the ~aysh. This initial revelation is religion (vv. 9-16). It concludes with a challenge to those who call upon what is said co have taken place during the last third of the month of Ramadan, in 610 ocher than God to protect them (vv. 17-19). of the Christian era, twelve years before the migration to Madinah (hijrah) in 611, which marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. According to the Prophet's wife 0A'ishah, "The first thing that began hap­ pening with the Messenger of God from the revelation were dreams he would see in his sleep that would come true. He would not see any dream except that it would come to be, like the break of day in the morning. Then seclusion be­ came beloved to him. So he used to go to the cave of[Mount] l::!ira' and devote himself to worship there for a number of nights, and would bring provisions. Then he would return to [his wife] Khadijah and replenish his provisions for a similar number of nights. This continued until the revelation suddenly came tO

0 him while he was in the cave ofl::!ira • "The Archangel [Gabriel] came to him while he was in the cave and said, 'Recite!' The Messenger of God said, 'I replied, "I am not a reciter."' Then he said, 'So he seized me and pressed me until I could no longer bear it. Then he released me and said, "Recite!" So I replied, "I am not a reciter." Then he pressed me a second time until I could no longer bear it. Then he released me and said, "Recite!" So I replied, "I am not a reciter." Then he pressed me a third time until I could no longer bear it. Then he released me and said, "Recite in the Name of thy Lord Who created" until he reached that which he knew not.' "Then he [the Prophet] returned with those verses and with his heart trembling until he reached Khadijah and said, 'Cover me, cover me.' So they wrapped him up until his fear went away. Then he said co Khadijah, 'What is wrong with me?' and told her what had happened and said, 'I fear for my soul.' She replied, 'Never! By God, God will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your relatives, you speak the truth, you help the poor and the al-'Alaq 96:6-19 1537 96:6-19 The Blood Clot 1538

. \ .. .. considers himself beyond need. 0) Truly unto thy Lord is the return. 0 Hast In ch~ ~ame of c;;od,. the Corppassionat~1 the M~rci~ul thou seen him who prohibits ® a slave when he prays? @ Hast thou seen if J • ' 0 Recite in the Name of thy Lord Who created, 0 created man from a blood he does so out of guidance,@ or to enjoin reverence? @ Hast thou seen ifhe • • I I I • I ~ clot .. 0 Recite! Thy Lord is most noble, 0 Who taught ~Y. the.,I?en, 0 taught denied and turned away? 0 Does he not know chat God sees? @.) Nay, but if .. • r "' • man that which he knew not. 0 Nay, truly man is rebellious 0 in that he he ceases not, We shall surely seize him by the forelock-@ a lying, iniquitous I , • . I f • forelock. @. So let him c~ll his cohorts. @ We shall call the guards of Hell. ··'' 1-5 For che account of the revelation of these (kartimah) was considered the highest of all vir­ ~?) Nay! Obey him not! But prostrate and draw nigh. verses, see the introduction co chis surah. These tues, implying an unblemished pedigree, all virtu­ verses begin by discussing creation; the' firsc•men• ous character traits, arid unbounded gener'osfty; tion of creation in v. 1 can be taken asa reference co see 49:13c. In accord with the 'third quality, this prophechood of Muhammad and tried co hinder in 55 :41: The guilty shall be known by their marks; the fact that God creates all that exists from noth­ verse ·could also be lihdersfood to mean, "Recite, the practi~e,oflslam (Aj, IK, Q). and they shall be seized by the forelocks and by the ing (Aj). The passage then moves to the creation of for chy Lord is most generous,"• for He blesses 6 The use of che emphatic particle nay (kallti) feet. From a ~ranic perspective, there is no crea­ the human being, who is honored and ennobled human 15eings with the greatest of blessings (Aj), here implies that despite the. great blessings of cre­ ture that crawls, but that He holds it by its forelock through knowledge, the faculty chat distin­ creation and revel~tion'. In pre-Islamic poetry, ation and of knowledge, people deny them and are (11:56). guished Adam from the angels (I K). The creation karim, meaning "noble'' or "generous," was said of unthankful for them; thus they are disbelievers 17-18 Cohorts is seen by most as a reference of the human being and knowledge are related peopk, but not of God. The ~ranic usage of the and rebels (Aj). In chis context, rebellious can thus to the other members of the ~raysh who sup­ in the first revelation, because human beings are term thus introduced an aspect of God hitherto be seen as an allusion to chose who rebel against ported Abii Jahl. According to Ibn cAbbas, the created for knowledge of God and His creation, unknown to the pagan Arabs. what God teaches. Prophet was praying when AbiiJahl came to him and God teaches Adam and chus all human icy the 4-5' That God teaches human beings and 7 Beyond need is literally "self-sufficient," but and said, "Did we no~ warn you about chis?" The names of all things (2:3 1) before commanding, brings chem out bfdarkness into light (14:1, 5; 33 :43; beyond need better conveys the negative. connota­ Prophet went to him and reproached him. Abii providing laws, and judging. According to some, 57:9; cf. Isaiah 41:16; 1 Peter 2. :9) is the ext'ension' tion ofviewing oneself as "self-sufficient" vis-a-vis Jahl retaliated by saying, "Indeed, you know very the mention of recitation precedes chat of writing and continuation of His unbounded generosity. because, alchouglJ both are means of conveying Some say that pens arc of three principal types: God. Such self-sufficiency can then be seen as the well that there is no one in Makkah who has more knowledge, there could be speech without writ­ the first, corresponding to the Logos or Intellect, root of all rebelliousness (Aj). guards than me," and as a response God revealed ing, but not writing without speech (IK). Thus al­ is the one chat God commanded to write all that 8 The return co God is among the most cen­ vv. 17-18. Ibn °Abbas is said co have commenced, though recite could also be translated "read," recite would be until the Day of Resutreccion; the sec­ tral themes of the ~ran; see commentary on "By God, had he called, God would have sent the is the better option because the Prophet was not ond are those with which the angels record the 2. :156: Truly we are God's, (lnd unto Him we return. guards of Hell against him" (Aj, IK, Q). given something co read and is reported to have deeds ofhuman beings (seecommentaryon 18:49; 9-10 These verses are usually understood as 19 Nay is either another rebuke to Abii Jahl been "unlettered" (see 62:ic). 82 :w-12); and the third are those with which a direct reference to Abii. Jahl's preventing the or an address directly co the Prophet and his fol­ 2 Several verses refer co different periods of human beings write (Q). According ro some, Prophet from praying at the Kacbah (Aj, IK, Q). lowers indicating that they should pay no heed to gestation as a sign of God's creative power. The man indicates Adam, of whom 2:31 says, and He 11-14 These verses are taken as a rebuke co Abii Jahl and his threats, and persist in prostrat­ blood clot appears ro be the third stage in the most taught Adam the names, all of them (Q). Others Abii Jahl (IK, Q), meaning, "Do you have the ca­ ing to God. Obey him not is echoed in 68:8: So extensive ~ranic account of gestation: 0 man­ say that it indicates the Prophet Muhammad, as pacity to judge whether the Prophet is guided?" obey not the deniers. More generally, these verses kind! Ifyou are in doubt concerning the Resurrec­ in 4:u3: God has sent down unto thee the Book and This particular referent does not, however, con­ can be taken as an indication that people should tion, [remember} We created you .from dust, then Wisdom, and has taught thee what thou knewest rravene the general castigation of all who ques­ not heed any who deny religion or the efficacy .from a drop, then.from a blood clot, then .from a lump not; God's Bounty toward thee is great indeed (Q). tion che veracity of the Prophet and the ~ran. of. prayer and should continue ro prostrate and But here most commentators cake taught man to offlesh, formed and unformed, that We may make Although some take vv. 13-14 as a continuation draw nigh through prayer, for that is the means clearfor you. And We cause what We will to remain mean chat chis verse refers co the manner in which of the admonishment in vv. 11-12., in which case by which one draws closer co God. According co in the wombs for a term appointed (u:5). For the God teaches all human beings, nor only prophets. he continues to refer to the Prophet, others see the a /Jadith, "The closest that a servant can be to his stages that follow the clot, see 2p4; 40:67c; 75:38. God's teaching by the Pen can also be seen as an referent as AbiiJahl (Q). Lord is when he is proscrating" (IK, Q; for the Vv. 1-2 can also be seen as a commentary on 95:4- allusidn to che Divine Intellect inscribing knowl­ 15-16 These verses are taken by most as an spiritual significance of prostration, see 31:15c; 5, where created in v. 1 refers co creating man in the edge upon the tablet of the human soul. For more most beautiful stature (95:4) and v. 2. refers to cast­ on the symbolism of the pen, see 68:1c. answer to v. r4, meaning that Abii Jahl did not 19:58c). ing him to the lowest ofthe low (95:5). 6-19 These verses were reportedly revealed know that God sees. Thus Abii Jahl would not This verse is one of fifteen verses afi:er the reci­ 3 Or, • Recite, for thy Lord is most noble." several years afi:er vv. 1-5 in reference to Abii. cease to attempt to prohibit the Prophet from tation of which one is enjoined to prostrate; sec In pre-Islamic Arabia nobility or magnanimity Jahl, the leader of the ~raysh, who rejected the praying. The application is nonetheless general, as 19:58c.