Women with a Story to Tell 6

 Stories, even accounts of real events, must be composed for the teller to present to the listener. To become lasting lore, stories are often shaped to be attractive and memorable. Particularly in a time when most people were unable to read, one way to pass along the stories was to embed repeated words and themes in the work.

 The story of Sarah, Abraham, and Hagar is a classic in the retelling; it has recurring themes, dramatic scenes, even some amusing word play. For example, the Hebrew word for ‘to laugh’, in its various forms, appears frequently in Genesis and the Wisdom Literature (Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes), but that word is rare in the Histories or the Prophets. Not a very amusing bunch.

 The first occurrence of ‘laugh’ reveals that God is fully involved in word play and appreciates irony in his dialogue with the humans.  

 “Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live in your sight!” God said, “No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac. (Genesis 17: 17-19).

 God promised Abraham a son out loud, but Abraham laughed to himself at the irony of the situation. Although most of the English translations, including the King James Version, chose the English word ‘laugh’, in none of the settings where it is used does it mean to laugh at something that is just funny. The most common settings for the word are ones like this; something ironic or difficult to believe occurs, and the person chortles at how far out of the ordinary it is. So, while ‘laugh’ is an appropriate translation, the primary setting for the word in English is not found in Hebrew.

 Still, some who study humor note that the most common source of laughter is someone else’s misfortune, either real or in a joke. The Germans even have a special word for it: schadenfreude. That’s what you feel when you watch Funniest Home Videos; someone walks out the door, slips on the first step, then falls down a flight of stairs. Surely, they hurt themselves, but you also bust a gut laughing out loud. 

 God turns that laughter back on Abraham by declaring that he should name his son Isaac. Yitzhak in Hebrew, is one of the variations of the word that means 'he laughs’. So, God says, in effect: “Laugh at my promise, will you? Then how about you name your son 'he laughs’. Now laugh that off.” 

 Later (next chapter), God appears for another visit with Abraham. Again, God promises that when he comes back next season, Sarah will be pregnant with their son. Abraham does not laugh this time, but Sarah, who is eavesdropping from inside her tent, laughs to herself. Unfortunately for her, Abraham’s conversation partner is the all-seeing all-hearing God. 

 “So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I be fruitful?’ The LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old? Is anything too wonderful for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.” But Sarah denied, saying, ‘I did not laugh’, for she was afraid. He said, ‘Yes, you did laugh’” (Genesis 18: 12-15).

 “God is serious all the time. All the time, God is serious.” Well, not really. God is fully engaged in this back-and-forth banter. “Oh, no I didn’t!  Oh, yes you did!” In both cases, what Abraham and Sarah tried to conceal, God reveals. 

 Why do we need this dialogue? Probably it serves to heighten the tension around the miracle. The promise seems unreal. Neither Abraham nor Sarah has any idea how it could be achieved. That does not detract from their faith. They keep listening to the promises and wondering how God is going to make them come true since they both are now well beyond child-bearing age. 

These playful exchanges reveal an active engagement of the dialogue partners, God on the one hand and the humans Abraham and Sarah on the other. Our God is an interactive God, intensely present even when we feel that God is distant.  

 Who got the last laugh? Actually, we’re not done yet, but in this part of the story, God has the last laugh. And with laughter God gives Sarah joy. 

 “The LORD dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as he had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Now Sarah said, “God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.” And she said, “Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age” (Genesis 21: 1-7).

 Finally, we have a laughter born out of joy. God has revealed this wonderful fulfillment of his promise. Sarah, who has concealed a lot of suspicions about what God was up to, is now able to join in the laughter. She is not concerned that people are laughing at her; she thinks it's funny and joins them in laughter. 

 Wouldn’t it be nice if such wonderful moments of shared joy would last forever?