ISAAC

Fils d'Abraham et de Sara.

1. Son nom en hébreu est Yisekhaq, et l'analogie de ce nom avec la racine sâkhaq (=rire) explique les nombreux passages de l'histoire de ce patriarche où il est question de rires et de plaisanterie (Ge 18:11-15 21:6 26:8).

2. Les récits concernant Isaac (sur la valeur historique des récits patriarcaux, voir Abraham, Genèse) sont empruntés principalement à la source J. Ils sont d'ailleurs peu nombreux et très fragmentaires. Presque partout la personnalité d'Isaac n'apparaît qu'en fonction de celles d'Abraham et de Jacob. Toutefois le témoignage que rend Jacob à la piété de son père (Ge 31:43,53) et surtout l'expression très célèbre et sûrement très antique où il est parlé du « Dieu d'Abraham, d'Isaac et de Jacob » prouvent que la postérité ne considérait pas Isaac comme un personnage, et surtout comme un croyant, d'arrière-plan.

3. Par rapport à son demi-frère Ismaël, fils d'Agar, Isaac est dans une situation analogue à celles d'Abraham vis-à-vis de son neveu Lot et de Jacob vis-à-vis de son frère Ésaü. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob représentent l'authentique race hébraïque, tandis que Lot, Ismaël, Ésaü personnifient des familles apparentées qui ont eu, à côté d'Israël et le plus souvent en opposition avec lui, leur existence propre. Certains historiens ont cru pouvoir conclure de cette signification ethnique des traditions patriarcales que les personnalités ici mises en avant n'avaient aucune réalité individuelle, et ne faisaient que symboliser des collectivités très anciennes. En ce qui concerne Ismaël (voir ce mot), une telle conclusion est probablement légitime, car il ne nous est guère rapporté de lui que des traits impersonnels (Ge 21:20) et des données ethniques (Ge 25:12-17). Mais pour Isaac il en va autrement ; sa personnalité est plus nettement dessinée et la tradition lui prête un caractère très particulier qui semble bien être celui d'un homme plus que celui d'un peuple.

4. Le trait distinctif de ce caractère d'Isaac, c'est la passivité. Tout au long des récits qui nous parlent de lui, cette tendance naturelle apparaît, à peine soulignée par les conteurs, mais réelle. Lorsqu'Abraham s'apprête à sacrifier son fils sur le Morija, la victime accepte son sort terrible (Ge 22:1,14). Lorsque le fidèle serviteur ramène Rébecca du pays des ancêtres, Isaac accepte la femme qui lui est ainsi donnée (Ge 24:62-67). Au foyer où grandissent Ésaü et Jacob, le père se laisse dominer par son goût pour la venaison, il ne fait rien pour contrecarrer les entreprises suspectes du fils préféré de Rébecca (Ge 25:27-34). Et quand ensuite, par un audacieux subterfuge, Jacob a réussi à capter à son profit la bénédiction paternelle, Isaac est violemment ému par la découverte de la tromperie, mais il ne réagit pas, il ne proteste pas : Jacob a la bénédiction, il la gardera. Ainsi le veut l'opinion ancienne d'après laquelle une bénédiction donnée agit à la façon d'un opus ope-yatum ; mais ainsi le veut aussi pour une part le caractère d'Isaac (Ge 27).

5. Une mention spéciale doit être faite des récits consacrés au séjour d'Isaac dans les marches méridionales de la Palestine, à Guérar et à Béer-Séba (Ge 26). A travers les flottements de la tradition, qui est ici pleine de doublets, et qui fait tantôt d'Abraham, tantôt d'Isaac, tantôt des deux successivement, les héros des événements dans lesquels intervient le célèbre roi Abimélec, il est facile de discerner des faits historiques certains. Il y a eu, dans ces régions, entre les habitants du pays et les ancêtres d'Israël, des contestations portant principalement sur les points d'eau, si importants pour les nomades ou les semi-nomades. Dans ces contestations, le caractère d'Isaac est toujours décrit de la même manière : il cède le terrain et les précieuses sources, ce qui ne l'empêche pas de connaître une magnifique prospérité et de voir finalement son alliance recherchée par ses ennemis.

6. Les renseignements nous manquent sur la fin de la vie d'Isaac. Ce que P raconte de sa mort est tout conventionnel. Comme il avait uni Ismaël et Isaac pour les derniers honneurs à Abraham (Ge 25:6), P nous montre Ésaù et Jacob associés pour l'enterrement d'Isaac (Ge 35:29). Il est remarquable qu'aucune mention ne soit ici faite de la sépulture familiale de Macpéla.

A. M.

Utilisé avec autorisation de Yves PETRAKIAN

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  Genèse 18
  
  11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
  
  12 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"
  
  13 Yahweh said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?'
  
  14 Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son."
  
  15 Then Sarah denied, saying, "I didn't laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you did laugh."
  
  Genèse 21
  
  6 Sarah said, "God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me."
  
  20 God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness, and became, as he grew up, an archer.
  
  Genèse 22
  
  1 It happened after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" He said, "Here I am."
  
  14 Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide . As it is said to this day, "On Yahweh's mountain, it will be provided."
  
  Genèse 24
  
  62 Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South.
  
  63 Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming.
  
  64 Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel.
  
  65 She said to the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." She took her veil, and covered herself.
  
  66 The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
  
  67 Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
  
  Genèse 25
  
  6 but to the sons of Abraham's concubines, Abraham gave gifts. He sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, to the east country.
  
  12 Now this is the history of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bore to Abraham.
  
  13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to the order of their birth: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
  
  14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
  
  15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
  
  16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes, according to their nations.
  
  17 These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people.
  
  27 The boys grew. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field. Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.
  
  28 Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob.
  
  29 Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was famished.
  
  30 Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am famished." Therefore his name was called Edom.
  
  31 Jacob said, "First, sell me your birthright."
  
  32 Esau said, "Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?"
  
  33 Jacob said, "Swear to me first." He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob.
  
  34 Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.
  
  Genèse 26
  
  1 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.
  
  2 Yahweh appeared to him, and said, "Don't go down into Egypt. Live in the land I will tell you about.
  
  3 Live in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For to you, and to your seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
  
  4 I will multiply your seed as the stars of the sky, and will give to your seed all these lands. In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed,
  
  5 because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws."
  
  6 Isaac lived in Gerar.
  
  7 The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, "She is my sister," for he was afraid to say, "My wife," lest, he thought, "the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to look at."
  
  8 It happened, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife.
  
  9 Abimelech called Isaac, and said, "Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, 'She is my sister?'" Isaac said to him, "Because I said, 'Lest I die because of her.'"
  
  10 Abimelech said, "What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!"
  
  11 Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, "He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death."
  
  12 Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year one hundred times what he planted. Yahweh blessed him.
  
  13 The man grew great, and grew more and more until he became very great.
  
  14 He had possessions of flocks, possessions of herds, and a great household. The Philistines envied him.
  
  15 Now all the wells which his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped, and filled with earth.
  
  16 Abimelech said to Isaac, "Go from us, for you are much mightier than we."
  
  17 Isaac departed from there, encamped in the valley of Gerar, and lived there.
  
  18 Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father. For the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. He called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
  
  19 Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
  
  20 The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, "The water is ours." He called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him.
  
  21 They dug another well, and they argued over that, also. He called its name Sitnah.
  
  22 He left that place, and dug another well. They didn't argue over that one. He called it Rehoboth. He said, "For now Yahweh has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land."
  
  23 He went up from there to Beersheba.
  
  24 Yahweh appeared to him the same night, and said, "I am the God of Abraham your father. Don't be afraid, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for my servant Abraham's sake."
  
  25 He built an altar there, and called on the name of Yahweh, and pitched his tent there. There Isaac's servants dug a well.
  
  26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the captain of his army.
  
  27 Isaac said to them, "Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and have sent me away from you?"
  
  28 They said, "We saw plainly that Yahweh was with you. We said, 'Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let us make a covenant with you,
  
  29 that you will do us no harm, as we have not touched you, and as we have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace.' You are now the blessed of Yahweh."
  
  30 He made them a feast, and they ate and drank.
  
  31 They rose up some time in the morning, and swore one to another. Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
  
  32 It happened the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had dug, and said to him, "We have found water."
  
  33 He called it Shibah. Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.
  
  34 When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
  
  35 They grieved Isaac's and Rebekah's spirits.
  
  Genèse 27
  
  1 It happened, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said to him, "My son?" He said to him, "Here I am."
  
  2 He said, "See now, I am old. I don't know the day of my death.
  
  3 Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and take me venison.
  
  4 Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die."
  
  5 Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
  
  6 Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, "Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,
  
  7 'Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless you before Yahweh before my death.'
  
  8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you.
  
  9 Go now to the flock, and get me from there two good young goats. I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves.
  
  10 You shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death."
  
  11 Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.
  
  12 What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing."
  
  13 His mother said to him, "Let your curse be on me, my son. Only obey my voice, and go get them for me."
  
  14 He went, and got them, and brought them to his mother. His mother made savory food, such as his father loved.
  
  15 Rebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son.
  
  16 She put the skins of the young goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck.
  
  17 She gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
  
  18 He came to his father, and said, "My father?" He said, "Here I am. Who are you, my son?"
  
  19 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me."
  
  20 Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?" He said, "Because Yahweh your God gave me success."
  
  21 Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not."
  
  22 Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau."
  
  23 He didn't recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother, Esau's hands. So he blessed him.
  
  24 He said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He said, "I am."
  
  25 He said, "Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless you." He brought it near to him, and he ate. He brought him wine, and he drank.
  
  26 His father Isaac said to him, "Come near now, and kiss me, my son."
  
  27 He came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said, "Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which Yahweh has blessed.
  
  28 God give you of the dew of the sky, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine.
  
  29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you."
  
  30 It happened, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob had just gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
  
  31 He also made savory food, and brought it to his father. He said to his father, "Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that your soul may bless me."
  
  32 Isaac his father said to him, "Who are you?" He said, "I am your son, your firstborn, Esau."
  
  33 Isaac trembled violently, and said, "Who, then, is he who has taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before you came, and have blessed him? Yes, he will be blessed."
  
  34 When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry, and said to his father, "Bless me, even me also, my father."
  
  35 He said, "Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing."

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