CHAPTER 22

22:1-14 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 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. 3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you, 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. 9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. (Verse 1) TEMPTATION OF ABRAHAM. — And God tempted Abraham. It is often asked how this can be true when James says in his letter that God does not tempt anyone (Jas. 1:13). The answer is that the language of Scripture often uses the word “tempt” with the meaning of “prove.” Instead, the temptation spoken of by James is understood only as referring to that by which one falls into the nets of sin. That is why the Apostle says: lest the tempter should tempt you (1 Thess. 3:5). For it is written elsewhere: The Lord your God tempts you to know if you love him (Deut. 13:3). Naturally, this expression says: to know, as if it were said: “to make you know”, because the power of love itself is hidden from man, if God does not make it known through a test of his. [Question 57]

(Verses 12-14) ON THESE WORDS: I KNOW NOW THAT YOU FEAR GOD. — On these words: I know now that you fear God. — an angel said from Heaven to Abraham: “Do not put your hand on the child, and do nothing to him.” For I know that you fear God. This issue resolves, like the previous one, by an analogy of expressions; For these words: “I know now that you fear God” mean: now I make you known. This way of speaking is clearly understood in the following text: “And Abraham called this place: the Lord saw;” And it is said today: The Lord appeared on the mountain. He saw, put for: He appeared (Gen. 22:14), has the same meaning as: he did see; The cause is set for the effect; A cold numb, for: a cold that numbs. [Question 58]

(Verse 12) WAS IT FOR THE SAKE OF THE ANGEL, OR OUT OF RESPECT FOR GOD, THAT ABRAHAM WAS PREPARED NOT TO SPARE HIS SON? — and for My sake you have not spared your beloved son. Is it that Abraham did not spare his son by an angel or God? The solution is that under the name of an angel it is to be understood that it was our Lord Jesus Christ, who is undoubtedly God, and the prophet expressly calls him Angel of Great Counsel (Is. 9:6), or that God was in the angel and the angel spoke in name of God, as he usually does through the prophets. This latter sense appears to be drawn more clearly in the following words of the text: “And the Angel of the Lord called again Abraham from the top of heaven, saying: I sworn by myself, says the Lord (Gen. 22:15-16).” It is difficult indeed to find that here Christ engages God the Father as his Lord, in this time frame who preceded the Incarnation. With regard to the form of slave that he has taken, this expression seems not to be lacking in modesty. Indeed to prophesy this event it is said in a psalm: “The Lord said to me: you are my son (Ps. 2:7).” But it is difficult to discover in the Gospel itself, that Christ calls God the Father his Lord, because this would be true, though he calls him God, in this passage where they say: ” I ascend to my Father and to your Father, to my God and to your God. (Jn. 20:17);” As to these words of Scripture: “The Lord said to my lord,” it is in the name of the one who speaks that they are uttered: “The Lord said to my lord (Ps. 109:1),” that is, the Father told the Son. Thus these other words: “The Lord made rain… from the Lord (Gen. 19:24; Lk. 17:29),” are also said in the name of the sacred writer and here is the meaning: the Lord of this writer sent the rain on the part of his Lord; Our Lord on behalf of our Lord, the Son of the Father. [Questions on Genesis, 59]

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. (Gen. 22:2) Accipe filium tuum dilectum (Take your son who is dear to you). The word accipe (take) is a phrase, which is already in the words of the angel Agar about his son (Gen. XXI, 18).

(Gen. 22:4) Et respiciens Abraham oculis (And Abraham seeing with his eyes); it is enough to say respiciens (seeing). [Locutions]

IRENAEUS OF LYONS. (Verse 9-14) For in Abraham, man had learned beforehand, and had been accustomed to follow the Word of God. For Abraham, according to his faith, followed the command of the Word of God, and with a ready mind delivered up, as a sacrifice to God, his only-begotten and beloved son, in order that God also might be pleased to offer up for all his seed His own beloved and only-begotten Son, as a sacrifice for our redemption. Since, therefore, Abraham was a prophet and saw in the Spirit the day of the Lord’s coming, and the dispensation of His suffering, through whom both he himself and all who, following the example of his faith, trust in God, should be saved, he rejoiced exceedingly. The Lord, therefore, was not unknown to Abraham, whose day he desired to see; (Jn. 8:56) nor, again, was the Lord’s Father, for he had learned from the Word of the Lord, and believed Him; wherefore it was accounted to him by the Lord for righteousness. [Against Heresies 4.5.4-5 ANF s.1 v.1]

JEROME OF STRIDON. 22:2 GOD SAID TO HIM, "TAKE YOUR ONLY SON ISAAC, WHOM YOU CHERISH, GO TO THE HIGH GROUND, AND OFFER HIM A BURNT OFFERING ON THE MOUNTAIN WHICH I WILL APPOINT TO YOU.” It is difficult to translate the nuances of Hebrew. We say high, and the Hebrew says MORIA, luminous, according to Aquila, and the vision, according to Symmachus. This mountain, say the Hebrews, is the one where the temple was later founded on the Jebusite plateau of Orna, as it is written in the Chronicles: "The second month and the second day of this month, they began the erecting the temple on Mount Moria." (2 Chron. 3: 1) It is translated as illuminating and luminous, because it is DABIR, that is, the oracle of God, and the law, and the Holy Spirit, who teaches the truth to men, and who inspires the prophecies.

22:3 HE ARRIVED ON THE THIRD DAY AT THE PLACE GOD IS TELLING HIM. Note that from Gerara to Mount Moria, seat of the temple, there are three days of walking; that is why it is said that he succeeded on the third day. So they are mistaken, who believe that at that time Abraham was living in Mamre, which is scarcely separated from Mount Moria, by a day of walking.

22:13 AND ABRAHAM LIFTED UP HIS EYES AND BEHOLD, A RAM BEHIND HIS BACK WAS CAUGHT BY ITS HORNS IN THE THICKET SABECH. Eusebius of Emesa has spoken an absurd thing in respect of this verse, saying sabech means a goat which, with its horns straight out, is standing eret to graze the leaves of the tree. Then Aquila interpreted it as suchneōna, which we can express as 'a thorn bush' or 'a thorn hedge' and, to explain the actual force of the word, 'a very dense thicket entwined in itself'. From this, Symmachus too is led to the same opinion and says: And after this there appeared a ram caught by its horns in a net. But the Septuagint and Theodotion seem to certain people to have a better interpretation, at least in this place: they presented the word sabech as it stands and say: by its horns in the thicket sabech. For suchneōn or 'net', which Aquila and Symmachus put, is written with the letter sin; but here the letter samech is used, from which it is clear that the word sabech is not an explanation of very dense woods and thicket entwined in itself in the manner of a net, but represents the name of the thicket which is pronounced in this way in the Hebrew. But by searching carefully I have found that suchneōn is often written with the letter samech.

22:14ABRAHAM GAVE TO THIS PLACE THE NAME: THE LORD SEES; so that it is now said in proverb: “On the mountain, the Lord sees.” Instead of seeing, the written Hebrew text has “will see.” This has become a proverb among the Hebrews, and when they experience some misery and wish to be relieved by divine help, they say: "On the mountain, the Lord will see;" that is to say, as he had pity on Abraham, he will have pity on us. From where still, in memory of the given ram, they have, until our days, preserved the custom of ringing horns. [Hebrew Questions on Genesis]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. God tempted Abraham. What then? Did not God know that the man was noble and approved? Why then did He tempt him? Not that He might Himself learn, but that He might show to others, and make his fortitude manifest to all. [Homily 25.2 on Hebrews NFNP s.1 v.14]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. (Verses 7-8) Mark with what gentleness Isaac asks, “Behold the fire and the wood, where is the sheep for a whole burnt offering?”: and what was the father’s answer? “God will provide himself a sheep for a whole burnt offering.” In this he uttered a prophecy that God would provide Himself a burnt offering in His Son, and it also came true at the time. But why did he conceal it from him who was to be sacrificed? Because he feared lest he should be astounded, lest he should prove unworthy. With such care and prudence did he act throughout this affair! [Homily 14 on First Timothy NFNP s.1 v.13]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. After that God tempted Abraham. (Gen. 22:1-2) A considerable gain is shown to us in today's reading, an ineffable treasure concealed in such short words. Such is the character of divine oracles: great riches are found there, not in the multitude of words, but in the very brevity of expressions. Well, let's look at today's text, let's focus on reading today. Thus we shall understand, better and better, and the perfect virtue of the patriarch, and what is excellent in the clemency of God. After that God tempted Abraham. What do these words mean: After that, did God tempt Abraham? Observe, I pray you, as from now on, divine Scripture proposes to discover the virtue of the just; she will tell us how Abraham was tempted by God. But first, she wants us to know when the patriarch received the order that commanded him to sacrifice Isaac; she wants you to understand the perfect obedience of the patriarch, in what circumstances the patriarch has shown that nothing is better than the command of God. What do these words mean: After that? Because after the birth of Isaac, seeing Ishmael with Isaac, as we told you yesterday, she could not endure this sight, and she said to Abraham, "Hunt this maid with her son, for the son of this servant will not be heir with my son. (Gen. 21:10) And as this word seemed harsh to the patriarch, God willing to console him, said to him: Listen to Sarah, your wife, and do what she has told you. You must not find hard what has been said to you concerning your son and your servant: It is from Isaac that the race which is to bear your name will come out. (Ibid. 12) will make him the leader of a great people, because he is your race. And all the promises, made to him by God, were reduced to the prediction that the children of Isaac would multiply so as to form a great people. The righteous thus lived in this happy hope; After so many trials so painful, after so many pains, having received his reward, finally enjoying perfect security, seeing the heir who was to succeed him, he lived tranquilly, happily, consoled. But he who knows the secrets of hearts, wanted to discover the virtue of this just, the perfection of his love for God. And that is why, after so many promises, after the last promise, all recent, whose memory was so present to the spirit of Abraham; at the moment Isaac was already tall, in the prime of life; at the moment when his father's love was growing; after this promise, after saying, "The name of Isaac will come out of your name, and he shall be your successor. After that, God tempted Abraham. What is it? It was not because God did not know Abraham that he tempted him; he did not want to test it; but God wanted, and that the men of the time of Abraham, and all those who would follow each other, from this time to our days, learn, by the example of the patriarch, to show the same love, the same obedience to precepts of the Lord. And, saith the text, he saith unto him, Abraham, Abraham, Abraham answered him, Here am I. What do these two words mean, Abraham, Abraham? Great proof of the benevolence of the Lord for the patriarch. He showed him besides, by the manner of calling him, that he had to communicate to him an important order. So, to make him more attentive, he calls him twice, and he says to him: Abraham, Abraham. And Abraham said to him, Here am I. And God said to him, Take Isaac your beloved son, whom ye cherish, Isaac, and go up, and offer him a burnt offering in one of the mountains that I will show you. (Gen. 22:2) It was heavy to bear the weight of such an order; this is what surpasses human strength: Take your beloved son, whom you cherish, Isaac. See how these words light, activate the fire of the stake, the furnace of love, which the righteous felt for his Isaac: Take your darling son, whom you cherish, Isaac. Each of these words, alone, was enough to tear the soul of the righteous. God does not just say, Isaac, but he adds your son; that against all odds you have begotten; that you may have had in your old age; darling: your beloved child, whom you cherish so tenderly, Isaac whom you expect, as your heir; I promised you that your race would come out, which would multiply so much, that it would number in number the multitude of stars, and the grains of sand, along the shore of the sea. Well, it is itself: Take it, and go up, and offer it as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will show you. It is astonishing how the righteous could bear to hear these words: Well, it is himself, says God, your much desired son; offer it as a sacrifice on one of the mountains. What does the righteous do then his mind is not troubled; his thought is not confounded; he does not hesitate for a single instant before a command which must have struck him with stupor; he does not think, reason: What does that mean? He who, against all odds, generously gives me posterity; who, listening only to his own goodness, has vivified that which was dead, the sterility of Sarah; now that the child has been fed on his milk, has grown up, is in the prime of life, here he commands me to kill him, to offer him as a sacrifice when there are few moments yet, He said to me, "Out of him will come forth the race that is to bear your name; he now gives me contrary orders. And how will these promises be fulfilled? How can it be that by cutting the root, one sees the branches spreading; that by cutting down the tree, one draws fruit; that by desiccating the source, rivers are made to spring forth? According to human reason, such things are impossible; but everything is possible at the will of God.

The right man, moreover, did not make any of these reflections. Like a wise servant, suppressing all human reasoning, he only took care of one thing, to accomplish, to fulfill the command. And as a stranger to human nature, convinced that divine precepts must prevail over every affection, every love, he hastened to fulfill the orders of God. Abraham, says the text, got up before daybreak, prepared his donkey, took with him two young servants, and Isaac his son, and having cut off the wood that was to be used for the burnt offering, he went to the where God had told him to surrender. There was the third day. (Gen. 22:3) See the clemency of the Lord; like this long space to be crossed, it serves him to test the virtue of the just man. Meditate, consider, in this long period of three days, what the just man had to bear, thinking in himself, that he was ordered to kill, with his own hands, this beloved son; to reveal this order to no one; and be astonished at the admiration of so much piety and wisdom. As he knew the full extent of this command, he did not communicate it to anyone, neither to the servants, nor to Isaac himself; he was alone, sustaining in himself this battle, as solid as the diamond, and he remained invincible, unshakeable in his thoughts, without succumbing to countless excuses, full of love, full of zeal, to obey the only sign of God . When he came to the place, looking up, saith the text, Abraham saw the place afar off, and said unto his servants, Wait here with the ass. (Gen. 22:4-5) See again here the perfect wisdom of the just man; he wants to hide, even before his servants, always showing that it is with ardor, with eagerness, with a jealous zeal, that he wishes to accomplish what is pleasing to God. He knew well what was strange, unheard-of, the action he had to accomplish himself; that no one before him had done anything like it. He hides the action from his servants: He leaves them with the donkey: Wait here, we will only go that far, my son and I, and after worshiping, we will come back to you. (Gen. 22:5) He spoke thus, in ignorance of what was about to happen, but it is certain that he made a prophecy, without knowing it perhaps. He spoke to his slaves, perhaps to deceive them, to make them stay there; but later, the patriarch was there with the child. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; he took the fire and the knife in his hands, and they both walked together. (Gen. 22:6) O force of soul! O solidity of spirit! And he put, says the text, on Isaac the wood of the sacrifice; and he took the sword and the fire, and they went together. From what eyes did he look at the child carrying the wood on which he was going? at the time to immolate it? How could his hand carry fire and sword? His hand carried the visible fire, but the inner fire inflamed his soul, devoured his heart, persuaded him that his love for God would triumph, and inspired him this thought, that he who already, in a manner superior to human nature, had made father, could still operate now things that surpass the human reason. Consider henceforth, I beseech you, more than this sensible fire, the internal fire which gradually became more and more ardent, and inflamed the soul of the just. Now Isaac said to Abraham his father, My father. (Gen. 22:7) This word alone was enough to tear the bowels of the righteous man. Abraham answered him, What do you want, my son? You call father the one who just now will not have a son; and I call my son, the one who is about to be put on the altar, whom I will slit with my own hands. Then the child said, "Behold, you are carrying fire, and I, the wood, where is the victim to be slain? Where is the sheep for the burnt offering? Consider here, I beg you, the torture of the just man; how did he endure hearing these words? How was he able to respond to his child? How was he not confused? How could he hide, not to reveal immediately, to his child, what would happen? On the contrary, with a strong thought, a manly soul: The Lord will provide the victim for the burnt offering, my son. (Gen. 22:8) See here, again, without knowing it, prophesy what must happen. His answer seemed made to deceive Isaac. It was presently, however, what was needed to satisfy it; but what a lively and poignant pain he did not suffer, that father who sought the words in his thought, who considered the beauty of his child, the external beauty, the interior grace too, the beauty of his soul, his obedience, worthy object of love, all this in this flower of youth! And they both came together to the place of which God had spoken to him. (Gen. 22:9) They came, says the text, to the top of the mountain which the Lord had indicated to him. And there, Abraham set up an altar. Here I am struck again by an admiration which amazes me, to see the courage of the just; how he had the strength to build the altar, how he had enough energy, how he did not faint in this terrible fight. On the contrary, he built the altar, and on the altar he put the wood. He then bound Isaac, his son, to the altar, and Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. (Gen. 22:10)

Let's not go here lightly, my good. loved, pay attention to the word. Consider, meditate; how did not his soul fly from his body; how, with his own hands, was he able to bind and on the wood to place his beloved child, so worthy of love, his only son? And Abraham, said the text, stretched out his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. O piety! O courage! O persistence of love! O victorious reason of human nature! He took, said the text, the knife, to immolate his son. Who should excite our admiration here, strike us with stupor? The courage of the patriarch, or the obedience of the child? He does not fight to escape, he does not complain, he lets himself go, he obeys his father, he is a peaceful lamb that is put on the altar, and the child waits, softly resigned, his hand from his father. But once this soul, wholly to God, has shown the consumption of all virtues without any failure, the goodness of the Lord is revealed and proves that he did not want the child's death; that he rather wanted to manifest the virtue of the just man. Just the crown, for the zeal of his will; sacrifice is consumed in the thought of the patriarch. God is pleased with him, and now declares to him his special affection. And the angel of the Lord, saith the text, cried out from heaven, Abraham, Abraham! (Gen. 22:11) As he saw the righteous all ready, on the point of completing the sacrifice, determined to fulfill the Lord's command, from heaven, he shouted at him

Abraham, Abraham, and it is good to call him twice, to prevent the speed of the just man. And the voice that is heard, holds the hand of the righteous who already slaughters the child. And Abraham said, Here am I. And the angel said, Put not your hand on the child, and do not do it. I. know now that you. fear God, because to obey me, you have not spared your only son. (Gen. 22:12) Do not put your hand, says the text, on the child. I did not give the command for the order to be fulfilled; I do not want your son to be slain with your hands, but I want to make your obedience manifest before all men; so do not do anything to him. It is enough for your will, and for this good will I crown you, and I proclaim your glory. For now I know that you fear the Lord. See, here, how discourse adapts to our infirmity. What! Is it true to say that God until this moment was ignorant of the righteous man's righteousness, that only from that moment on did he begin to know it, he, the Lord of all things? the creatures? No; the text does not mean that it is from this moment only that God knows the virtue of Abraham; but what does the text mean? It is now, he says, that you have manifested to all, that you fear God sincerely from the bottom of your heart. I did not need to know better my servant; but the action you have just done will be, and for the men of today, and for the generations to come, a teaching. For from that moment you have made known to all, that you fear the Lord, and that you hasten to fulfill his commandments. Since you have not spared your beloved son; because of me, that son who is so dear to you, that you love so ardently, you have not spared him; because of me, because of my commandment; you preferred my order to your son. Well, now I give you back your son, because it is to reward you, that I promised you that your race would extend through the centuries. Receive therefore the crown of your obedience, and go away, for it is to the will that I bestow the crown; it is to the soul that I bestow the rich rewards. You must realize what you said; and to your servants and to Isaac; you promised them: After worshiping, we will come back. Here you are going to accomplish it; When the child asked you, Where is the sheep for the burnt offering? The Lord will provide the victim for the burnt offering, you answered. Well! turn, he says, your eyes behind you, see the victim you have predicted, whom you will sacrifice in the place of the child. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw behind him a ram, which had taken hold of his horns in the bush, and took it, and offered it for a sacrifice, instead of Isaac his son. (Gen. 22:13) I have seen your piety, he says, well! what you said to the child, I spared you. And taking it, said the text, he offered it as a sacrifice instead of Isaac, his son. Have you understood the clemency of God? The sacrifice was consummated, the patriarch manifested his piety; he brought back the crown conquered by his good will; in bringing back Isaac, he has returned a thousand times crowned.

Now, this whole story was the figure of the cross. This is why Christ said to the Jews: Abraham, your father, has eagerly desired to see my day, he has seen it and has been filled with joy. (Jn. 8:56) How did he see him, who lived so many years ago? He has seen his face, he has seen the shadow; for just as here the ram was offered in place of Isaac, so the spiritual Lamb was offered instead of the world. It was necessary, indeed, a figure to portray the truth in advance. See, indeed, I conjure you, my beloved, how the whole history of Christ is here figured in advance. Only son on one side, only son of the other; darling son, on one side, own son; darling son, on the other side, own son too; for this is my beloved Son, in whom I have put all my affection. (Matt. 3:17) One was offered by his father as a sacrifice; and the other, his father delivered him; This is what the voice of Paul shouts to us: He who has not spared his own Son, but delivered him to death for us all, will he not give us all things with him also? (Rom. 8:32) So far we have only one figure; but then it is the truth, which shows itself far superior to the figure; for the spiritual Lamb has been offered for the whole world; he has purified the whole earth; he delivered men from error, and brought them back to the truth; he has changed the earth to make it heaven. It is not that he has changed the nature of the elements, but that he has brought the heavenly virtues to the men who live on the earth. By this, lamb, the worship of demons has been wiped out; by this lamb, it has happened that men no longer adore stones and pieces of wood; that beings endowed with reason no longer bow to insensible objects; that every error has been banished, that the light of truth has enlightened the world.

Do you understand the excellence of the truth? Do you understand what is the shadow on the one hand, on the other hand, the truth? And Abraham, says the text, called this place a name which means the Lord sees. This is why it is still said today: The Lord was seen on the mountain. (Gen. 22:14) See the piety of the righteous man; as always he gives to the places names taken from the events which have been accomplished there. He wishes to recall the visit that God made to him, to engrave it, so to speak, on a column of brass; in the name he gives to the place. From there he called this place a name that signifies the Lord sees. [Homilies on Genesis]

22:15-24 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. 19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba. 20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor; 21 Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.

ALCUIN OF YORK. (Verse 17) WHO WAS SYMBOLIZED BY THE STARS, AND WHO BY THE SAND? — Answer. By the stars [of heaven] are understood the fewer, stronger and more brilliant people, and by the sand of the sea shore the great multitude of the weak and carnal. [Alcuin of York, Questions and Answers on Genesis, 158]

AMBROSIASTER. (Gen. 22:16) THE ANCIENT LAW SHOWS US GOD MAKING OATHS (GEN. 22:16, EXOD. 33:1), FOR HE SAYS, "I HAVE SWORN BY MYSELF," SAYS THE LORD. THE SAVIOR, ON THE CONTRARY, FORBIDS TO MAKE OATHS, HAS HE NOT DESTROYED THE OLD LAW BY DESTROYING IT? — Before the knowledge of God was poured out on the earth, men could not make men believe anything new and unheard of until then by confirming the promise by an oath made in the name of him whose acquaintance they did not yet know sufficient. But when this knowledge had spread, it was forbidden to swear in the name of him in whom it was not permitted to suspect even the lie. That is why the Savior no longer wanted his servants to swear an oath, he only commanded them to behave always in such a way as to add faith to their words. The oath is demanded only by the disloyalty or faithlessness of a deceitful heart, as men are accustomed to deceive, one imagines that the fear of God will inspire them with more respect for the truth, or that it will be enough for the one who will be deceived and who, by the same, acquires the right to complain. [Questions on the Old and New Testaments, Question 3 2^nd Category OT &NT]

ATHANASIUS OF ALEXANDRIA. (Verse 15-19) And when he was tried, by faith he offered up Isaac, and sacrificed his only-begotten son— he who had received the promises. And, in offering his son, he worshipped the Son of God. And, being restrained from sacrificing Isaac, he saw the Messiah in the ram, which was offered up instead as a sacrifice to God. The patriarch was tried, through Isaac, not however that he was sacrificed, but He who was pointed out in Isaiah; ‘He shall be led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers he shall be speechless (Is. 53:7);’ but He took away the sin of the world. And on this account Abraham was restrained from laying his hand on the lad, lest the Jews, taking occasion from the sacrifice of Isaac, should reject the prophetic declarations concerning our Savior, even all of them, but more especially those uttered by the Psalmist; ‘Sacrifice and offering You would not; a body You have prepared Me (Ps. 40:6);’ and should refer all such things as these to the son of Abraham. [Letter 6.8 ANF s.2 v.4]

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. (Verse 21) ABOUT CHAMUHEL, FATHER OF THE SYRIANS. — When it was announced to Abraham that Melcha had children and called one of them, Chamuhel, the father of the Syrians, it is obvious that the latter name has been given by those who brought the news, since Syrians, who owe their origin to this Chamuhel, formed a numerous people only in much later times. This addition is by the author, who wrote these facts long after they had been accomplished. We have already made a similar remark concerning the Well of the Oath. [Questions on Genesis, 60]

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. (Gen. 22:16) Per memetipsum juravi, nisi benedicens benedicam te (I swear by myself that I will bless you with blessings); it is as if there were: Per memetipsuin juravi quod benedicens benedicam te, or simply and without conjunction: Per memetipsum jùravi, benedicens benedicam te.

(Gen. 22:17) Et multiplicatis multiplicabo semen tuum (I will multiply your race); it was enough to say multiplicabo (I will multiply).

(Gen. 22:20) Et nuntiatum est Abrahae dicentes (And they saying, it was told to Abraham): the regular form would be this: Nuntiaverunt Abrahae dicentes (They told Abraham saying), or else: Nuntiatum est a dicentibus (It was told by those who were saying). [Loctutions]

JEROME OF STRIDON. 22:20-22 AND THEY TOLD THE NEWS TO ABRAHAM AND SAID: BEHOLD MELCHA, EVEN SHE HAS BORNE SONS TO YOUR BROTHER NACHOR: US HIS FIRST-BORN, AND BUZ HIS BROTHER, AND CAMUEL THE FATHER OF THE SYRIANS, AND CASED. The first-born of Nachor, Abraham's brother, was Us, born of Melcha his wife, Aran's daughter; from whose stock Job descended, as it is written in the introduction to his book: There was a man in the land of Us whose name was Job. Certain people, therefore, are mistaken in thinking that Job was of Esau's family: for what is contained in the conclusion of his book, namely, that it was translated from the Syrian language; that he was fourth in descent from Esau; and the rest of the things which are included, are not contained in the Hebrew books. The second son born from Melcha was Buz, whom the Septuagint have preferred to transcribe as Bauz. Now from this man's family comes Balaam the soothsayer (so the Hebrews hand on the tradition) who in the Book of Job is called Eliu. At first he was a holy man and a prophet of God; but later, because of his disobedience and lust for rewards, in that he was eager to curse Israel, he was dubbed with the description 'soothsayer'. And he is spoken of in the same book: And Eliu the son of Barachiel the Buzite was angry. Evidently, he descends from the stock of this Buz. Camuel is the father of Damascus. For what is written here in the place of Syria is called Aran; and by that same name it is read in Isaiah. And Chased is the fourth son, from whom the Chasdim, that is, the Chaideans, were later named. [Hebrew Questions on Genesis]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. Doubtless it was a rather good reward to bring Isaac back alive, than to have deserved the glory of being heard to say: I now know that you fear God. But he who is anxious to surpass us by his gifts, who always triumphs by his favors, fills the rich with the variety of his rewards, and he says to him again: The angel of the Lord called Abraham for the second time, from the and saith unto him, I swear by myself, saith the Lord, that since we have done this work, and that, to obey me, ye have not spared your only son, that I will bless you, blessing you. myself; I will multiply, multiplying it myself, your race, as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the shore of the sea: Your seed shall possess the cities of his enemies, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. in Him who will come out of you, because you have obeyed my voice. (Gen. 22:15-18) Waited, said he, that you have fulfilled my command, that you have shown me your obedience by all means, listen: I swear, by myself, says the Lord. See the neck. descendants whom God shows us in his language: I swear, says he, by myself, in order to give you perfect confidence, that my words will be realized. Men, when they add oaths to promises, make the promise more worthy of faith for those to whom it is addressed. This is why the Lord pronounces these words, conforming to human habits: I swear by myself that since you have done this action, and that, to obey me, you have not spared your beloved son. Consider, I conjure you, the clemency of the Lord. You have not spared, to obey me, your beloved son. And yet he brings him back alive. Do not consider the fact, my beloved, but the will, but the intention which made accomplish without reasoning, without hesitation the order received. As to the will, the patriarch had bloodied his hand; he had thrust the sword into the child's throat; he had offered; consumed the sacrifice. The Lord looks upon the sacrifice as consummated, and praises the righteous; And he said, To obey me, you have not spared your beloved son. You, on your side, have not spared it by obedience; but I, on my side, save it because of your obedience. And, to reward you for this obedience: I will bless you, and, multiplying myself, I will multiply you. See, the blessing is at its height; that is, I will multiply your race. He whom your will has slain will spread your race, which will multiply to the point of matching the stars of heaven and the sand: And all the nations of the earth will be blessed in your race, because you have obeyed my voice. All these gifts, says the Lord, will be the reward of your perfect obedience.

Thus, that attracts us countless goods; obedience to God, docility to his orders, simplicity which abstains, like this patriarch, from curious scrutiny; who does not stand. do not ask why such an order has been given. Therefore, to merit these goods, one must obey as wise servants do, without asking the Lord for an account. Strengthened by these teachings, we, too, can show the obedience of this righteous man and obtain the same crowns. Obedience, how? by doing, by our actions, the orders of God. For it is not, says the Apostle, those who listen to the law, who will be justified, but those who practice it. (Rom. 2:13) Indeed, what use to hear every day. law, and to neglect the works? Therefore, I beg you, let us hasten to practice good works; otherwise impossible to obtain salvation; let us practice them, in order to atone for our sins, to deserve the clemency of the Lord, by grace, by mercy, by the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom belongs, as to the Father, and to the Holy Spirit and invigorating, glory, now, and always, and for ever and ever. Amen. [Homilies on Genesis]