_We should obey the call of duty even to any sacrifice, knowing
that the result is in higher hands than ours._
Abraham and Sarah, his wife, were very old and were sad because
they had no child. They prayed earnestly for a son, and at last,
when Abraham was one hundred years old, a son was born and they
named him Isaac. They were very happy then, and the child grew and
became strong.
To see whether Abraham was still faithful to the Lord, it came to
pass that God called him one day and Abraham said:
“Behold, here I am.” Then the Lord said:
“Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and
get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt
offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.”
Abraham was sorely grieved that God had told him to burn his only
son, whom he had given. But he rose up early in the morning,
saddled his ass, cut the wood, and took Isaac and some young men,
and went up into the mountain, just as God had told him.
On the third day he came to the place; then Abraham said to the
young men:
“Ye abide here, with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder and
worship and come again to you.”
Abraham took the wood and laid it upon Isaac. He took the fire and
a knife and carried them to the place that God had showed Abraham.
Then Isaac said: “My father?” And Abraham replied: “Here am I, my
son.” Isaac said:
“Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt
offering?” Abraham replied:
“My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” And
they went on together.
They came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built
an altar and laid the wood in order. Then he bound his son Isaac
and laid him upon the wood on the altar. Abraham stretched forth
his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
Just then he heard the voice of an angel calling him, “Abraham!”
He answered: “Here am I.” The angel said:
“Lay not thy hand upon the lad; neither do thou anything with him;
for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld
thy son, thine only son from me.”
And Abraham looked and behold, there was behind him a ram caught
in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and
offered him for a burnt offering instead of his son.