I would like to go through the bible and hear all its sounds. I managed an idiosyncratic ‘listen’ of Genesis. What sounds can you hear?
She is my sister She wasn’t. And Abraham’s habits of lying continue. A lie is a misdirected sound. It points to an opposite meaning. Abraham continues his misdirected soundings. The behaviour of God is even more puzzling. Why does he condone this misdirection? Many sounds in this chapter! God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. Isaac the long awaited one finally arrives. Abraham and Sarah laughed previously but now the sound of their laughter takes on flesh as Isaac not only their laugh but God’s. However the sound of laughter … Continue reading Genesis 21 Abraham Here I am Father Here I am my son Abraham Abraham Here I am After the lying and vacilating of the previous chapters Abraham becomes true to himself. His sound is realigned with his self. “Here I am” he says to God, to his son and then again to God. Hidden underneath is the … Continue reading Genesis 22 …listen to us …listen to me …listen to me …listen to me …listen to me The haggling over Sarah’s burial is strange. A modern western hearing of the story could hear it as Abraham trying to do the right thing and the others being kind. However it is worth hearing this story through the honour … Continue reading Genesis 23 When sounds repeat they slowly fade to the background. Living in cities, the sound of traffic is something we stop listening to. But the traffic is indicative of important realities that we should pay more attention to. In these chapters of genesis certain patterns are established. Abraham has two sons who aren’t together, Isaac has … Continue reading Genesis 24 – 26 Isaac has gone blind. We would assume that sound becomes ever more important to him. But oddly enough it his other senses that he trusts. The story tells of Isaac tasting, smelling and touching. And it is through this that Isaac and consequently Esau is deceived. Isaac seems unable to recognise either of his sons’ … Continue reading Genesis 27 How Awesome is this place This is how the NRSV and the NIV translate that sentence (verse 17). Outside the context of this chapter the sound of the word ‘awesome’ can mean almost anything. The KJV translates it as ‘dreadful’. The message paraphrases it with ‘he whispered in awe.’ It just shows how slippery sound … Continue reading Genesis 28
Genesis 20
Genesis 21
Genesis 22
Genesis 23
Genesis 24 – 26
Genesis 27
Genesis 28