The words “speak” and “tell” in Genesis affirm truth. Truth as the ground on which life will flourish. Speaking and telling may be the most difficult of the actions in the Bible to grasp but on the flip side, possibly the richest to ponder and wrestle with.
To speak
“Let me take it upon myself to speak to my lord, I who am but dust and ashes.”
Genesis 18:27
This quote of Abraham’s comes from an extraordinary story of speaking up to the forces in the world more powerful than our own. Abraham questions God. They have real talks, like in this story of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 18: 16 – 33.)
Every detail of this story is a challenge to us in our responsibility to speaking truth, even when it means questioning authority and risking our security. Here is some of what this story offers.
- Abraham remained standing before the Lord. We are doing ourselves no favors if we don’t admit to having “lords” above us. It is only children in their innocence who think they rule the world. We need to acknowledge and then stand before that authority and speak truth.
- Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Here Abraham speaks to his knowledge of God’s character as the basis for his questioning, appealing to God’s better self.
- And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place. I think this is my favorite sentence. First, that God took time for Abraham and Abraham had the courage to stand his ground. Secondly, we each have a place distinct from each other and life comes with accepting that.
There is so much this Genesis story can offer on what it means to speak. Sit yourself down with others. Speak. Together consider this hypothetical that is rich enough, universal enough, real enough to bring you together in speaking of truth.
To tell
God said, “Who told you that you were naked?”
Genesis 3:11
This is a stunning statement. We expect to read, “You have sinned,” when God finds out that Adam and Eve have eaten from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And this simply is not true and never has been. We let others, authority in particular, do the reading for us. Don’t.
To me, God is speaking here as a parent. A cry from the creator who gave paradise to Adam and Eve, now hurt with the truth that they are not suited to it. “If I can shield you from other voices I can’t control. If I can shield you from feeling shame. If I can shield you from the world, I would, because I know death and pain and misery await you.”
This is a creation story that’s power and truth comes from the insight in this first cry from God; that our fate as humans hangs on our tellings. Both what we choose to tell and who we choose to listen to. Is not the first story after creation about Cain? A story about a man who tells lies and denies the truths spoken to him by God.
To speak and tell beyond Genesis
In some sense, all the writings in the Bible, including beyond Genesis, are painful and joyous tellings. To speak and to tell in the Bible reflects the reality that we make choices to speak truth or tell lies every day. No different now than 2,000 years ago.
When you choose a story from the Bible to read or share in study with others, and always select a whole story, not a single verse, note who is talking and to whom. Especially be keen when the word, “speak” and its various forms are used as it usually is a moment with truth in it. And when the word, “tell” and its derivatives are used? These are often moments when a choice is made between life and death, turning towards truth or turning away. Go ahead. Ponder and wrestle. You will be given riches.
Check out another posting on what the Bible says about speaking:
2 Kings 1:9-15 Life is Precious
