adopted from other nations. T. Desmond Alexander’ explains the fact that Genesis 35:11 distinguishes between a “nation” and a “company of nations” seems to imply that “whereas many nations will be closely associated with [Jacob], only one nation will be directly descended from him.”21 Abraham’s paternal relationship over the nations is principally an elected rather than a formal/biological association.22 This more figurative use of “father” language parallels the ancient world’s use of the term for