By Roy B. Blizzard
The Passage in Translation for today is from Genesis 22:2, focusing on a conversation between YHWH and Abraham.
Genesis 22:2 – KJV –
[2] And He 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."
Genesis 22:2 – Translation –
And God says to Abraham, "Take now your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."
This is an interesting dialogue that is mentioned in the Talmud in Sanhedrin 89-B. The conversation between YHWH and Abraham went as follows:
YHWH: And He said. "Take, I pray, thy son."
Abraham responds, "But I have two sons."
YHWH says, "Thine only one."
Abraham replies, "Each is the only son of his mother."
YHWH replied, "The son whom thou lovest."
Abraham replies, "I love them both."
YHWH responds, "Isaac."
This dialogue appears in the Talmud to emphasize God’s choice of Isaac. This is of importance in view of the fact that in Islam, Abraham was to offer Ishmael. In the Quran, Sura 37: 99-105, it mentions Abraham offering of his son and, although it does not specifically mention Ishmael by name, Moslem commentators are in agreement that the reference is to Ishmael.
Another point of importance is that God commanded them to go to the land of Moriah. Moriah is synonymous with Jerusalem and it was here on Mount Moriah that the Temple of God would later be built. Jewish sages explain that it was called Moriah because it comes from the word Hor-ah which means teaching.
This reminds us of Isaiah 2:3…"For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem"…because Abraham withheld nothing from God including his son, Isaac.
