Dustin Arbuckle Professor Jack Sasson 12 November 2014 DIV: 2503 Hebrew Bible The near sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22:1-19 is a terrifying yet intriguing pericope that is notoriously difficult to interpret. Myriad commentators, from philosophers like Kant, Hegel, and Kierkegaard to artists such as Rembrandt, Caravaggio, and Michelangelo, have drawn the same conclusion. Akedah Yitzchok, as it is known in Hebrew, means binding of Isaac. The story appears in the “patriarchal history” (12-50) at the center of the book of Genesis following the “primeval history” (1-11). While the primeval history is short, it highlights themes, motifs, and symbols that set the trajectory for the patriarchal history, wherein YHWH reveals himself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom he promises descendants and land. Genesis closes providing a transition into the book of Exodus as it ends with the story of Joseph. The cosmic importance of the Akedah, the term commonly used by the Jewish tradition to represent the Genesis 22 story, cannot be understood outside of the first commandment in the Pentateuch – “Be fruitful and multiply.” After overcoming the adversity of Sarah’s barrenness, Abraham’s purpose was to establish Israel’s place in history by producing descendants. Though Isaac’s purpose was to be the bridge between this goal and Abraham, he suddenly became the chasm. The Akedah depicts Israel's notion of right relationship with YHWH.  Though Israel is ignorant of YHWH’s plans and tests they ought to remain steadfast.  The themes, motifs and symbols expressed in the narrative define what it means to be Israel in the midst of YHWH, the God who moves both toward and away from his people. The text proffers the dilemma: Can Israel live in relationship with a God who does not only give – but takes? Though it is not new in the patriarchal stories, temptation in the Akedah is unique. Abraham and Isaac’s pivotal situation is commenced in the first sentence: the God of Israel is to give an educational assessment of Abraham’s fidelity. Abraham decidedly approaches it with complete seriousness. God’s ensuing command to offer Isaac as a burnt offering must have been utterly incomprehensible to Abraham, however, in accordance with the entire passage, he spares no time asking questions. For Abraham, YHWH has changed his mind about the covenant, thus taking back the previously promised, boundless seed of Isaac by way of sacrifice. The temptation is all the more momentous when considering the life Abraham gave up for YHWH (still evident in his given name, which literally means “father of a multitude”), Isaac’s preceding birth debacle, and YHWH’s heightened attunement to the magnitude of his command (“your only son Isaac, whom you love”). Abraham’s ordeal harkens back to the ritual of the cult, whereby YHWH characteristically seeks to illuminate guilt or innocence. Notwithstanding, the applied temptation ritual is suppressed by Abraham’s paradoxical situation wherein YHWH is his historical leader and tempter. Abraham’s situation is distinct in that it transcends the binary in the cultic realm as it moves to a liminal space; this exhibits Abraham’s direct and personal relationship with YHWH, rather than the cult, but also his maturation. While the idea of tempting Israel the nation is not new in the narrative, such is not the case for the temptation of an individual in his or her vocation. Abraham’s unbearable silence carries a strain throughout the periscope that is subtly indicative of his vulnerability. The narrator reports a chastised Abraham submissively conversing with YHWH. After parting ways with his servants, having alleged to be on his way to worship with his son, Abraham begins his journey with Isaac to the land of Moriah, the “place of which YHWH had told him.” The narrator slows the pace of the story by exercising their craft of silently displaying Abraham’s inner torment. Abraham divides the burdens such that he is carrying the dangerous essentials for the sacrifice, a knife and torch, in order that Isaac does not hurt himself. The narrator alludes to the passing of time (“they went both of them together”) until silence was broken by Isaac’s perceptive hunch (“…where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”). Simultaneously, Abraham’s sensitive response and cleverly evasive reticence (“YHWH will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son”) reveal his compassion and “tender love” for Isaac; unbeknownst to Abraham, his unwarranted response mysteriously contains truth. After the conversation, the allusion is repeated and nothing more is said. Following the angel’s intervention of the sacrifice, Abraham neither rejoices nor becomes sentient for the first time in the narrative, in keeping with the stoic nature of the narrative. Isaac, the promised child, symbolizes Israel and functions as an etiological origin of right relationship with YHWH. The stakes of this narrative are greater than the issue of child sacrifice: Israel is perpetually under the threat of being cut off from YHWH altogether. None of the characters know that there is a test that is underway, so no threat is idle. If YHWH wants to contradict himself and remove the possibility of salvation then he will, for this is what allows him to test the faith and obedience of his people. Furthermore, like Isaac, Israel was laid on YHWH’s alter, utterly vulnerable and preparing to be slaughtered until he called them back to him, raising them from the dead. It is only through Isaac that the Israelites can fully understand who they are in relation to YHWH. The gift that was promised to Israel was purely from YHWH. Unlike the surrounding nations, there was no legal title to which Israel could appeal; Israel owed its place in history to YHWH who by His own will allowed Isaac to subsist. Abraham recognized that if YHWH was going to give a gift then it was useless unless it was pure, making any resistance futile. YHWH allowed Isaac the pure gift of promise to live. All of the things that were possible for Israel—every promise, blessing, and hope—were invested in Isaac. Unless Abraham was willing to give up this gift he would not understand the pure nature of the promise. Isaac is an attestation of the notion that YHWH’s relationship with Israel entails a process. YHWH’s promise to Abraham will not consummate in a single generation. Only through persistent, though hopeful, testing over the lapse of time will YHWH validate his people. Right relationship with YHWH is made possible through the dedication of purpose, absolute faith and fidelity. This is a ready-to-die-for God mentality – YHWH assessed whether Abraham’s faith clung steadfast to His divine purpose for Israel, Abraham’s descendants, when all appeared hopeless. Abraham proved his strength by showing his faith to be unwavering – without such an exemplar, Israel’s battles with trial and tribulation would have been a short process. Abraham’s name for the place in verse fourteen is significant for understanding the way YHWH relates to Israel in the text, though it is slightly illusive. For the ancients, the naming of a site was important because it consecrated it, thus providing a desirable place for them to sacrifice and pray. Evidently all that remains of the name for the site at which Abraham bound Isaac is a pun. The antecedent of which is not extant, though it would have explained a cultic center at one time. “God sees” is the only salvageable information from the pun, however it is ambiguous as to what YHWH sees (Abraham’s faith or obedience? Is it referring to YHWH’s Omniscience? Is YHWH empathizing with Israel?). The verb “to know” used to summon Abraham in verse one and release him in verse twelve explains the awareness of YHWH in his relationship with Israel. For Israel, YHWH’s intent is genuinely to know if they will remain absolutely faithful to him because he does not know if they will – this is how the author designed the story and how it must be understood. The temptation given to Abraham was neither a game that YHWH was playing nor a meaningless test – it was the honest interaction of YHWH in Abrahamic tradition: YHWH took from Abraham (v. 2) and saw that he would not withhold (v. 12); YHWH tested Abraham (v. 2) and came to know that he was faithful (v. 12). As displayed by the Akedah, right relationship with YHWH requires a great deal from Israel. Preparing to sacrifice Isaac tore Abraham apart as he built the wooden alter, bound Isaac’s limbs, and lifted the blade—in the same way—it tears YHWH apart when Israel suffers. Abraham is the vehicle used to show YHWH’s preeminence among humans but also Israel’s orthopraxis. For the Israelites, down every road led by YHWH may be forsakenness; any given temptation may be inscrutable. YHWH is willing to contradict himself for the sake of assessing His people’s obedience. The Israelites were liable to attribute their existence to YHWH alone and not simply to legal titles. Even amidst promise, Israel is totally vulnerable to YHWH; their gift must be understood as a pure gift from YHWH, which means that it cannot be mitigated by human beings. With this understanding, Israel is separate from the cults of other nations. Likewise, the ritual of the ordeal for Israel is liminal, juxtaposing the Akedah; unlike the cults of other nations YHWH requires the absolute faith of Israel. The religion of Israel transcends complacency – it must accept the God who takes from them. Israel is not free from YHWH’s testing, for they cannot provide their own deliverance. The promised child parallels the people of promise. The Akedah is truly a theologically demanding story. While it is difficult to interpret, it congregates the main points of Abrahamic tradition and shows how YHWH desires to interact with his people. Though Israel is destined for anguish, their faith must surpass all understanding. 1 Arbuckle