Chapter 22

The faith and obedience of Abraham is proved in his readiness to sacrifice his son Isaac. ℣.11 He is stayed from the act by an Angel. ℣.16 Former promises are renewed to him. ℣.20 And his brother Nachor hath also much issue.

1. 1

   Which things being done, God tempted Abraham, and said to him: Abraham, Abraham. But he answered: Here I am.

2. 2

   He said to him: Take thy only begotten son, whom thou lovest, Isaac, and go into the Land of vision: and there thou shalt offer him for an holocaust upon one of the mountains which I will shew thee.

3. 3

   Therefore Abraham rising up in the night, saddled his ass: taking with him two young men, and Isaac his son: and when he had cut wood for the holocaust, he went his way to the place which God had commanded him.

4. 4

   And the third day, lifting up his eyes, he saw the place a far off:

5. 5

   and he said to his young men: Tarry you here with the ass: I and the boy going with speed as far as yonder, after we have adored will return to you.

6. 6

   He took also the wood of the holocaust, and laid it upon Isaac his son: and himself carried in his hand fire and a sword. And as they went on together,

7. 7

   Isaac said to his father: My father. And he answered: What wilt thou son? Behold, saith he, fire & wood; where is the victim of the holocaust?

8. 8

   And Abraham said: God will provide unto himself the victim of the holocaust, my son. They went on therefore together:

9. 9

   and they came to the place which God had shewed him, wherein he builded an altar, and laid the wood in order upon it: and when he had bound Isaac his son, he laid him on the altar upon the pile of wood.

10. 10

    And he stretched forth his hand, and caught the sword, for to sacrifice his son.

11. 11

    And behold an Angel of our Lord from heaven cried, saying: Abraham, Abraham. Who answered: Here I am.

12. 12

    And he said to him: Stretch not forth thy hand upon the boy, neither do thou any thing to him: now have I known that thou fearest God, and hast not spared thine only begotten son for my sake.

13. 13

    Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw behind his back a ram amongst the briers sticking fast by the horns, which he took & offered an holocaust instead of his son.

14. 14

    And he called the name of that place, Our Lord seeth. Whereupon even to this day it is said, In the mountain our Lord will see.

15. 15

    And the Angel of our Lord called Abraham the second time from heaven, saying:

16. 16

    By my own self have I sworn, saith the Lord: because thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thine only begotten son for my sake;

17. 17

    I will bless thee, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is by the sea shore: thy seed shall possess the gates of his enemies,

18. 18

    and In thy seed shall be blessed all the nations of the earth, because thou hast obeyed my voice.

19. 19

    Abraham returned to his young men, and they went to Bersabee together, and he dwelt there.

20. 20

    These things so being done, it was told Abraham that Melca also had born children to Nachor his brother,

21. 21

    Hus the first-begotten, and Buz his brother, and Camuel the father of the Sirians,

22. 22

    and Cased, and Azau, Pheldas also and Jedlaph,

23. 23

    and Bathuel, of whom was born Rebecca: these eight did Melcha bear to Nachor Abraham's brother.

24. 24

    And his concubine, named Roma, bare Tabee, and Gaham, and Tahas, and Maacha.