the children of Lot. The stories in Genesis now return to mind with yet another layer of significance. Israel is not to be hostile to Edom (because they are Esau’s children) or Moab and Ammon (because they are Lot’s children). So the stories of individuals and families in Genesis now become the stories of nations in Deuteronomy. Ancient Israel understood its neighboring peoples to be relatives. Israel was expected to act out of kinship to them. And hostility from any of them was regarded as betrayal by a family member. This attitude continues past the Torah into the narrative of Israel’s
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