Throughout this course, the theme of relationships between a father and his child/children has appeared numerous times. Sacred texts include many examples of father and son relationships. In the book of Genesis, there are several stories pertaining to the relationships between a father and his son/sons. These relationships illustrate immense significance and symbolism to the beliefs of Jews and Christians. The relationship between Abraham and his son Ishmael and Abraham and his son Isaac both display an overt symbolism and significance for those of the Jewish and Christian faith. To members of both these religions, God is the Father to His sons (the members of these religions) and both religions attempt to emulate the quintessential father and son relationship of Abraham and Isaac, while using Abraham and Ishmael's relationship as something to not repeat, each for various different reasons.
God made a covenant with Abraham saying, “To your seed I have given this land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates” (Alter, 66). Sarah, Abraham’s wife, did not give birth to any children, so Abraham had no seed to give land to. In Chapter 16, Sarah told Abraham that “the Lord has kept me from bearing children” (Alter, 67). She said to Abraham to have a child with her Egyptian slavegirl named Hagar. Hagar had a son with Abraham and Abraham named his son Ishmael. In Chapter 17, God made a covenant with Abraham saying that “every male among you must be circumcised” (Alter, 74). Abraham took himself and his son Ishmael and circumcised the flesh of the foreskin. God blessed Sarah and told Abraham, “I will also give you from her a son” (Alter, 74). As God promised, Sarah bore a child the n ...