Abraham.—“I love both.”
The voice of God.—“The one you love best.”
Abraham.—“I love both alike.”
The voice of God.—“Then I demand Isaac.”
Abraham.—“And what shall I do with him, O Lord?”
The voice of God.—“Go to the place that I shall tell thee, where, unexpectedly, hills shall arise in sight out of the valley bottom. Go to that place whence once My Light, My Teaching issued, which My eye watches over untiringly, and where the smoke of incense shall arise to Me, to the place where prayer is heard and sacrifice shall be offered, where at the end of time I shall judge the nations, and cast the ungodly into the pit of Gehinom;—to the land of Moriah that I shall show thee, there shalt thou take thy son Isaac as a whole burnt offering.”
Abraham.—“Shall I bring Thee such an offering as this, O Lord? Where is the priest to prepare the sacrifice?”
The voice of God.—“I have taken from Shem his priesthood, and thou art clothed therewith.”
Abraham.—“But in that country there are many hills; which shall I ascend?”
The voice of God.—“A mountain on which shall rest my Glory; there shall it be told thee further what thou must do.”