Foundation 

Female images of the Bible. Sarah. Abraham and Sarah: Spiritually Alive

(11:26–25:10).

Abraham, whose original name was Abram (אַבְרָם), was born in Ur of the Chaldeans, one of the oldest and most important cities in Mesopotamia. Here he married Sarai, to whom God later gave the name Sara (in the Russian tradition Sarah). Abraham's father Terah (Tarah) left Ur and, taking with him Abraham, Sarah and grandson Lot, headed to Canaan (the motives that prompted him to do this are not indicated in the Bible). On the way, in the city of Haran (Northern Mesopotamia), Terah died; God commanded Abraham to leave his native country, promising to make his descendants a great nation.

Abraham, now 75 years old, continued his journey to Canaan, accompanied by his wife and nephew. When Abraham reached the outskirts of Nablus, God appeared to him again and promised to give all of Canaan to his descendants. Abraham began to wander around Canaan, building altars to God. Soon there was a famine, and Abraham went to Egypt, taking with him, as is clear from the subsequent presentation, Lot. In Egypt, Abraham passed off Sarah as his sister, because he was afraid that the Egyptians might kill the husband of such a beauty. Pharaoh took Sarah to his palace, but God struck him and his loved ones with illnesses, and she was returned to Abraham as his wife. Abraham returned to Canaan with Sarah, Lot, and all his acquired property. Here, after a quarrel between their shepherds, Lot separated from Abraham and migrated to the city of Sodom (see Sodom and Gomorrah).

God once again appeared to Abraham and reaffirmed his promise to give all of Canaan to his descendants and to make those descendants as innumerable as “the sand of the earth.” Having settled in the oak grove of the Amorite Mamre in Hebron, Abraham defeated the united army of four kings and freed Lot from their captivity. Returning from the campaign, Abraham received the blessing of Malki-Tzedek, the king of Shalem (apparently the oldest name for Jerusalem). Soon God once again confirmed his promise to give Abraham numerous descendants, to whom the land would be given “from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates” (Gen. 15:18), and this time the promise was sealed by the conclusion of an alliance (covenant) between God and Abraham.

Then God announced to Abraham that his descendants would be slaves “in a land that is not theirs” for 400 years. However, Sarah was still childless. She gave Abraham her slave Hagar as a wife, who bore him a son, Ishmael. But God appeared to Abraham again and told him that the promises He made were not about Ishmael, but about Isaac, whom Sarah would give birth to, and the descendants of Isaac. God commanded that from now on Abram be called Abraham (raising this name in the Bible to av x amon goim- “the father of crowds of nations” is in the nature of folk etymology), and Sarai is Sarai, and that “all the males in the house of Abraham were circumcised.”

Soon after this, three angels appeared to Abraham, announcing the upcoming birth of Isaac. Then God informed Abraham of his intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for the crimes of their inhabitants. After narrating the destruction of these cities, the Bible reports that Abraham headed towards the Philistine border. Here the king of the city of Grar, Abimelech, took Sarah to him, but at the command of God he released her. When Abraham was a hundred years old and Sarah was ninety, Isaac was finally born.

At the insistence of Sarah, Abraham sent Hagar into the desert along with the baby Ismail, and some time later God ordered Abraham to sacrifice Isaac to Him, and only at the last moment did Abraham’s hand, raised over Isaac, be stopped by an angel (see Akedah), and Abraham still once it was said that his descendants would be countless, like the stars of heaven and the sand on the seashore, and that in his person the peoples of the world would receive a blessing. After this, Abraham settled in Beersheba, and when Sarah died, he buried her in the cave of Machpelah, purchased from the Hittite Ephron. Abraham then married Kturah, who bore him several children. Death befell Abraham at the age of 175, and he was buried by Isaac and Ishmael, also in Machpelah.

The tale of Abraham opens the cycle of the biblical epic about the patriarchs. Most modern historians have come to the conclusion that not only the legends about the patriarchs, but also their recording in the literary form that has come down to us belong to a very ancient period, although, in all likelihood, they were recorded during the period of the kings (after the 10th century BC). e.). There is also more and more confirmation of the assumption that there is some connection between the epithet Hebrew(hence the word “Jew”), first used in the Bible in relation to Abraham (Gen. 14:13), and then in relation to the Israelites, and the name khabiru, hapiru or apiru, which is found in Akkadian and Egyptian sources from the end of the third millennium BC. e.

There is also an opinion that this epithet is associated with the origin of Abraham from Eber. Hapiru there were strangers who penetrated into Canaan, who remained, apparently, alien to the religion, cult and life of the Canaanite peoples. Indeed, a characteristic feature of Abraham is a complete break with the culture of his country of origin, Mesopotamia, on the one hand, and alienation from the beliefs, cult and way of life of the Canaanites, on the other. Abraham, like his son and grandson - the patriarchs Isaac and Jacob - does not have his own land in Canaan and is dependent on the Canaanite kings - the rulers of the cities.

He maintains peaceful relations with the environment, but maintains his isolation in everything that concerns beliefs, cult and even the purity of the family. He sends his slave to his relatives in Northern Mesopotamia in order to bring a wife to Isaac. Abraham is considered in the Jewish tradition not only as the ancestor of the Jewish people, but also as the founder of Judaistic monotheism. Post-biblical tradition credits him with the discovery of the existence of one God, creator of earth and heaven and ruler of the world. This tradition expands the break with Babylonian culture to the complete denial of polytheism and paganism.

According to the midrash, Abraham breaks the idols of his father Terach. As a three-year-old child, having seen the sunset and the disappearance of the moon and stars, he, unlike the Mesopotamian priests, realizes that “There is a Lord over them - I will serve Him and offer my prayers.” Already in the biblical narrative, Abraham’s unparalleled loyalty and devotion to God is clearly expressed. Despite all the trials, he unquestioningly carries out the orders of God. The culmination of these trials is the sacrifice of Isaac.

The name of Abraham is in the Bible the first of three proper names (along with the names of Isaac and Jacob), in relation to which the word God appears as a determinant. The belief in an exclusive connection between a deity and a head of some kind was very common in ancient times among various tribes in the Middle East, but in the stories of Abraham it takes the form of a union (covenant; in Hebrew brit), concluded between him and God. This union, which was destined to play a major role in Jewish history and in the development of universal human culture, includes three main elements: 1) the chosenness of the descendants of Abraham through his son Isaac; 2) the promise to give the land of Canaan as ownership to these chosen descendants of Abraham; 3) the command to follow God’s commandments, which include ethical standards.

These provisions formed the basis of the biblical worldview and later Judaism, and subsequently, in a modified form, also the basis of Christianity and Islam. In Christianity, the place of the chosen people is taken by the church, and in Islam, chosenness is transmitted not through the line of Isaac, but through the line of Ismail, considered the ancestor of the Arabs.

The description of the life of Abraham and his trials is also considered in the Jewish tradition as an instructive example, symbolically reflecting the history of the Jewish people in the future. As for ethical standards, the Genesis account of Abraham contains only a general command to be blameless (Gen. 17:1), but Abraham's behavior undoubtedly indicates a person who is guided by a certain set of moral principles. Thus, Abraham stands up for the inhabitants of Sodom, refuses to appropriate the spoils of the war, and categorically rejects the offer of the “sons of Hitt” to receive the cave of Machpelah as a gift.

The moral and ethical side of the union of God with Abraham received a more detailed interpretation in subsequent sources. The personality of Abraham and his trials - especially the sacrifice of Isaac - have served as the subject of many works of literature and art in both Jewish, Christian and Muslim cultural traditions.

Christianity is called a "world religion". This means that its adherents can be found all over the world - even in those countries that are not traditionally Christian, which is why our Church is also called “Ecumenical”... But true faith began with one person, and then spread to his family, then - the people, and ultimately - for all of humanity... and the name of this man was Abraham.

Christians, Jews, and Muslims rightfully consider Abraham their “spiritual ancestor” (these religions are even called Abrahamic). The first book of the Bible, Genesis, tells about him. He lived approximately in the 17th century BC, was born in the Sumerian city of Ur, and married his half-sister Sarah (in those days such a marriage was the norm). The family went to Ur to Canaan, but on the way - in the city of Haran - Father Abraham (more precisely, Abram) dies. And after this, a significant event occurs: God himself turns to our hero, commanding...

The first of three biblical patriarchs who lived after the Flood.

According to the book of Genesis, the first Jew and the ancestor of the entire Jewish people. Descendant of Eber (Eber), great-grandson of Shem (Shem), first son of Noah.

In the scriptures

In the Old Testament

The account of Abraham's life and work is contained in the book of Genesis (11:26-25:10).

Abraham, whose original name was Abram...

Who is Abraham in the Bible?

King David and Solomon, the Pharisees and Caesar, the prophet Elijah and many other such familiar and, at the same time, unfamiliar names. Who were all these biblical heroes? How well do we know who is who in the Bible? Are we sometimes confused with some mythological characters? To understand all this, “Thomas” opened a project of short stories “Biblical Characters”. Today we are talking about who Abraham is.

Abraham is the progenitor of the Jewish people (Israel), the eldest of the Israeli patriarchs, who, out of faith in God, agreed to sacrifice his son Isaac to Him.

The Bible tells in detail about Abraham in the Book of Genesis (Genesis 12-25), then Abraham is mentioned in the Book of Joshua, Second Book of Chronicles, Psalms, the books of the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, Micah, in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John, in the Acts of Saints apostles and in the letters of the Apostle Paul to the Romans, Galatians and Hebrews.

Abraham was born in Ur of the Chaldeans (in...

Abraham (Heb. ‘abraham’ – father of multitudes (biblical etymology), father of heights; Greek….

Articles - BIBLE CHARACTERS

RIGHTEOUS ABRAHAM

Terah's family. Ur of the Chaldeans - Religious "conversion" of Abram. Faith in One God. - Terah and her family leave Ur. Stop in Harran. - God appears to Abraham - Abraham sets off with Lot and Sarah from Haran. - Land of Canaan - Promised Land - Abraham in Egypt - Return to Canaan - Abraham and Lot diverge - Abram's settlement at the oak grove of Mamre - Lot in captivity and Lot's release from captivity - Meeting with Melchizedek - Conclusion of the Covenant between God and Abraham - Birth of the first Abraham son of Ishmael from the slave Hagar - New Testament between God and Abraham. Establishment of "circumcision". - The appearance of God to Abraham in the form of three strangers - The death of Sodom and Gomorrah - The incest of Lot and his daughters - The birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah - The sacrifice of Isaac - The death of Sarah - The death of Abraham - Christ about Abraham - The meaning of Abraham in Christian theology

Abraham is the first of the three Old Testament patriarchs...

AVRAA M...

Abraham (Heb. Avraham, from “[my] father is exalted,” or from avhamon - “father of many”) is the biblical patriarch. The name was originally Abram, but was later changed to Abraham (Gen. 17:5).

Scientists have data confirming the existence of this name in the Middle East in the 2nd millennium BC.

According to biblical sources, 290 years passed between the birth of Abram and Jacob’s migration to Egypt (Gen. 21:5; 25:26; 47:9). The Bible does not say anything about specific contemporaries of Abram that would allow them to be identified with famous historical figures, therefore a more accurate dating of the time of the patriarchs in general (and the life of Abram in particular) is impossible. Approximately this period can be limited to 2000-1800 BC.

According to the Bible, Abram was the son of Terah from the family of Shem. He had brothers - Nahor and Aran. The latter, Lot's father, died in Ur while Terah was still alive (Gen. 11:27 et seq.). Abram's wife, Sarai (later Sarah), with whom he initially had no children,...

ABRAHAM sacrifices Isaac. Miniature 13th century. Rembrandt. Abraham's sacrifice. in the Old Testament, the first biblical patriarch, born c. 2000 BC e. in Ur of the Chaldeans (Mesopotamia). Originally called Abram. Married his half-blood... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

Abraham - ah, husband. Star. rare; decomposition Abram, a. Father: Avraamovich, Avraamovna. Derivatives: Avraamka (Avramka); Avraakha (Avraha); Avraasha (Avrasha); Abramka; Abraha; Abrash. Origin: (Ancient Hebrew name 'Abram exalted father.) Name day: (see Abraham) Dictionary ... ... Dictionary of personal names

Abraham is, according to the Bible, the first of the patriarchs, the ancestor of the Jews and (through Ismail) the Arabs. According to legend, he originally had the name Abram and was born in Ur of the Chaldeans. There he married Sarah. Together with Sarah, he left his native country. On the way, Yahweh promised... ... Historical Dictionary

Abraham - (Heb. Abraham). I. The name of the patriarch is original. sounded like Abram, but was then changed by God to Abraham (Gen. 17:5). Both forms...

Isaac

Biblical character, son of Abraham and Sarah

Alternative descriptions

Biblical son of Abraham and Sarah, father of Esau and Jacob

Both Newton and Babel

Male name: (Hebrew) laughing

Composer Albéniz

Newton's name

The moneylender from Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe

Composer Dunaevsky's name

Babel's name

Artist name Levitan

Male name

Son of Abraham (Bible)

Babel, Newton, Levitan

He gave birth to Jacob

Levitan

Composer Schwartz

Scientist ... Newton

Father of Esau and Jacob

Newton by name

Dunaevsky

The name of the genius under the apple tree

Son of Abraham and Sarah

Babel, Newton's namesake

Levitan, namesake of Newton and Babel

Name of Newton and father of Arkady Raikin

Dunaevsky Sr.

Newton with an apple

Son of Abraham

Abraham Lincoln...

Four hundred years after the flood, in the south of Mesopotamia, in the rich and populous city of Ur, there lived a man named Terah. He had three sons: Abram, Nahor and Haran. Of these, Aran died during his father’s lifetime. Grieving over the loss, Terah did not want to stay in Ur, took his sons and moved to the north of Mesopotamia - to the large trading city of Harran. Here he lived in peace and prosperity until his death. Terah's second son, Nahor, was with him. As for the eldest, Abram, chosen by the Lord to fulfill His innermost plans, his fate turned out completely differently.

That year, when Abram was seventy-five years old, the Lord said to him: “Leave your land and your father’s house and go to the land that I will show you. There I will make you into a great nation, I will make your name great, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Abram obeyed, took all his livestock, all...

Meaning of the name Abraham

Origin of the name Abraham. The name Abraham is Jewish, Orthodox, Catholic, Jewish.
Synonyms for the name Abraham. Abram, Abram, Abramy, Abrahamy, Avramy, Abraham.
Short form of the name Abraham. Abramka, Avramka, Abrakha, Avrakha, Abrasha, Avrasha, Abrashka, Avrashka, Ava.

The name Abraham is a biblical name. It was Abraham who became the founder of the Jewish people, in a broader sense - the forefather of all believers in the true God. Abraham originally bore the name Abram (Abram), which meant “exalted father.” But subsequently God commanded him to take the name Abraham (Abraham), which is usually interpreted as “father of nations” or “father of many.” Abraham is considered the ancestor of the Jews, Arabs and Arameans. Abraham lived 175 years, and all six of his sons from his second marriage, as well as his eldest son, Ismail, became the founders of various Arab tribes, which explains the meaning of the name Abraham in the Bible itself.

In Islam, Abraham appears under the name Ibrahim (Ibrahim), where he is revered as...

Message from †ЛД†

Hello, dear parishioners!

And you won’t be sick, dear. Message from †ЛД†

It is believed that the Bible is nothing more than the Word of God, written under His direct dictation.

Who thinks so? For example, I have no...

I believe that the Bible was not written under His direct dictation, but by the inspiration of the Spirit. The Spirit of God, of course. And these are fundamentally different things:
write from direct dictation and write under the inspiration of the Spirit.

Message from †ЛД†

As far as I understand, the Bible classifies Abraham as a positive character, but his actions are saturated with such cruel cynicism, meanness, and abomination that I can’t even call him a good person.

Again, are you viewing Scripture through the notorious prism of liberal humanism?

Well... Let's listen.

Message from †ЛД†

Let's start with a case of fraud involving pimping and selling...


Children of Abraham

Abram was 75 years old when God called him to go to Canaan - "promised land" which, according to His promise, they will possess descendants of Abram , and there will be as many as there are stars in the sky and grains of sand in the desert. But Abram and Sarai were still childless .

"In the history of the Old Testament, we more than once encounter another problem indirectly related to original sin, and oddly enough, this is the problem of children, descendants. Firstly, after a person fell away from God, he is in his thirst for immortality replaced individual aspect to aspect generic . Having lost access to the tree of life, ancient man decided to take care of “immortality on earth,” which meant mainly immortality in his children and grandchildren. Secondly, the loss of the heavenly marriage ideal has led to the meaning of marriage also started seeing each other not in unity, but in posterity , as much as possible. The presence and number of children “guaranteed” immortality and, in the eyes of others, looked like a sign of God’s blessing. On the contrary, the absence of children could mean a curse: a person turned out to be unworthy of continuing on earth!

10 years later, already in Canaan, Sarah despaired and gave her maid Hagar to Abram so that she would conceive a child from him (according to custom, the husband’s children from the maid would in this case be considered legitimate children from her mistress). Hagar gave birth to a son Ishmael (“let God hear”), who later became the progenitor of the Bedouins and northern Arabs; in the Muslim tradition, the genealogy of the Prophet Muhammad, as well as the history of the emergence of the sacred spring Zamzam, is traced to it.

When Abram was 100 years old and Sarah was 91, God finally performs the promised miracle and their long-awaited son is born. Isaac (“the one who laughs/rejoices”).

Abram's beloved wife, Sarai, died at 127 years old. Avram lived to be 175 years old, but before that time he managed to start six more children (other Arab tribes descended from them) from Keturah, a concubine whom he “took as his wife” (most likely in the sense of having an affair with her, rather than marrying her).

Moreover, sole heir (both in the earthly and spiritual sense) is only Isaac , his son by Sarah; Abraham sent all the other children “to the eastern lands”, giving them gifts - but alienating Isaac from himself. This is explained by the fact that it is from Isaac that the “chosen people” must come, through whom the Messiah will appear centuries later; all other children were born in the usual, human way, and only Isaac was miraculously born from the previously barren Sarah, and much after menopause; God chose Abraham, and God gave him a son, Isaac, who is tasked with continuing the spiritual mission of his father.

God's Covenant with Abraham

Having appeared to Abram “under the oak of Mamre,” God made a covenant with him, which was as follows:
- Abram will be “the father of many nations,” and the covenant of the Lord extends to his descendants; from this moment on, Abram and Sarah ("father of the heights", "high father" and "fighter") are called God Abraham and Sarah ("father of the multitude" and "mistress"; the naming of a name has a very great meaning in the Bible, especially the naming of God new name)
- Abram's descendants are promised possession of Canaan - the "promised land"
- affirmed by the symbol of the covenant circumcision all the men in Abram's house (the symbol was a rainbow)

Three angels

God appeared to Abraham at the oak of Mamri (near Hebron) to once again predict the imminent birth of his son Isaac, as well as punishment on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah; but this time He spoke to Abraham through his messengers - angels (both the Greek angelos and the Hebrew “malakh” (that’s where the Turkish melek comes from!) means “messenger”, “messenger”), who came to Abraham in human form, in the form of three men. Abraham received them into his home and showed them the widest hospitality.

Why exactly three angel? According to the Jewish interpretation, each angel is sent on one mission. In this case, the first angel was sent to Abraham to announce the birth of Isaac, the second to lead Lot out of the doomed Sodom, and the third to punish Sodom.

But what I didn’t even realize was that it was the plot of the meal with which Abraham treats God’s messengers that formed the basis of the famous iconographic image of St. Trinity : "In Christian theology, three angels symbolize the hypostases of God, which are conceived as inseparable, but also unmerged - as the consubstantial Holy Trinity. ... Later, the historical plan of the image is completely replaced by the symbolic. Three angels are now considered only as a symbol of the Trinity Divinity." (see Orthodox iconography of the Trinity)


(Trinity by Andrei Rublev)

The Crime and Punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah and the Story of Lot

What did it consist of? sin of the people of Sodom ? By “sodomy” or “sin of Sodom” most often they mean homosexuality and all sorts of “immoral” sexual practices; but from the biblical text and commentaries to it it is clear that we are talking not only or not so much about homosexual relations and debauchery, but about sexual violence and violence in general, as well as about the oppression of the weak, the needy and foreigners (read, abuse, discrimination and xenophobia), in short, " Sin City" , Gotham city, really (I’m now under the impression of the Gotham series, the birthplace of Batman:)

Lot's Rescue Story from Sodom on the night before its destruction: Lot is an image living righteously but not relying on God , not trusting Him completely - in contrast to Abraham. Therefore, Abraham converted many people to the faith, but Lot failed to convince even his sons-in-law, the inhabitants of Sodom. Lot's wife, turned into a pillar of salt, when on the way to salvation she, against the ban, looked back at the dying city - i.e. her heart remained with its fallen inhabitants; symbolically, this means that if you want to save your soul, you cannot “look back” at the sins, the evil that you are trying to save yourself from, get rid of, otherwise it will “drag” you back.


(John Martin. The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah)


(Lot's Wife Pillar on Mount Sodom)

By the way, Sodom and Gomorrah were part of the “Pentapolis,” which also included the cities of Adma, Seboim and Zoar; all of them were destroyed, except for Zoar - the “small city”, i.e. not so mired in evil and vice. On the site of the Siddim Valley, where the destroyed cities were located, the Dead Sea was formed.

Sacrifice of Isaac

This is probably the most famous story associated with Abraham, and one of the most famous from the Old Testament. And one of the most controversial, complex, and incomprehensible. Based on what I read, I will try to formulate its religious interpretation:

Isaac was born by the will of God , as a result miracle (from old parents, from a barren mother, contrary to all biological laws), and as a son belongs not so much to his father Abraham as to God; his birth and fate contradict physical and historical laws, are outside them - as well as the fate of his son Jacob (who received the name Israel), and the people of Israel in general, the “chosen people” (more broadly, all believers in the true God). Accordingly, Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his own son to God is, in a way, “giving God’s things to God,” for the very existence of Isaac in the world is a miracle of God, the work of God’s hands.

Despite this, Isaac is the most beloved son and, in general, probably the most beloved being for Abraham; to obey God in such a situation, and to kill your son with your own hands - this requires complete self-denial , renunciation of all one's attachments except God himself.

On Abraham's part, this is the greatest feat of faith, complete hope on God; his words “The Lord Himself will provide for himself a lamb” (here, by the way, is another bridge to the New Testament, to the “Lamb of God” - Christ) - evidence of his faith that even when the human mind does not see any possibility of a miracle, no way out, and the matter seems definitely hopeless, God will arrange everything according to His will; you just have to completely rely on it.

Why did Abraham have reason to believe that God, in some way known to Him, would arrange everything and create some kind of miracle? Because more than once God predicted numerous offspring for Abraham, and this offspring was supposed to happen through Isaac - a miraculously conceived and born son; all God's promises to Abraham came true - he followed the call all his life and always received help. Accordingly, Isaac could not simply die now... God's will in the command to sacrifice him was incomprehensible , as never before, and its execution required enormous feat faith, the will to believe.

“Each of us would turn to God, to the sound of the voice, and would say: Have mercy, Lord, You contradict Yourself! You Yourself promised me that this boy would be the beginning of a whole countless tribe!.. Abraham believed God more than he could believe the words he heard, more than he could believe himself. He took Isaac, went up the mountain, and by this showed not only that he was able to believe, that is, to be absolutely sure that God was speaking to him, he showed that grew to such a degree of communication and intimacy with God that he was able to believe in Him without a trace , trust Him even against all logic, against all evidence ." (Antony of Sourozh. Lessons of the Old Testament)

Joseph Brodsky has a very interesting poem "Abraham and Isaac"; It is no less interesting to read about its creation (from a biographical book about Brodsky); quote from there: "in the interpretation of the British literary critic Valentina Polukhina, Brodsky appears as a more Christian writer than Kierkegaard: “In his poem, trying to unravel the meaning of the story of Abraham, Brodsky changes the perspective of perception. The center of the story is not the father, but the son. Just as Abraham trusts God , Isaac trusts his father. After reading the poem, we begin to come to the conclusion that perhaps the answer to God's dark mystery has always been lying on the surface. After all, God demanded from Abraham only the same thing as from Himself: to sacrifice his own son to faith »".

(Reitern E. Abraham sacrifices Isaac)

The topic of the meaning of the concept of sacrifice in the Bible, as well as the meaning of this event for Abraham and Isaac, is deeply revealed in this chapter by Shchedrovitsky:

“Yes, Isaac experienced death; but he experienced it not really and not literally, but spiritually. He experienced the horror of death and immediately after that - the greatest joy of returning to life. The most majestic of the mysteries of antiquity took place - the death and resurrection of Isaac - indicating the future mystery of Golgotha .

And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw: and behind him was a ram, entangled in a thicket with its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. This ram was also a type of the Messiah, “replacing” with his sacrifice the descendants of Abraham, who would otherwise be in danger of spiritual destruction. Aries “got entangled in the thicket,” for at the same time it was also a symbol of all those who, wandering along earthly paths, do not see a way out of the thicket of sins, delusions and suffering, and nevertheless are able at the decisive moment to bring their life to the altar of God, to die for sanctification His name. Such were many martyrs who sanctified their lives by death for the glory of the name of God. For once upon a time the moment came for them when they needed to make the main decision: to die for the sanctification of the name of God or to renounce God. And these people, no matter what their life had been like before, chose the path of holy death and spiritual resurrection. And therefore the ram, entangled in a thicket with its horns and lying on the altar of God instead of Isaac, points to Christ, and at the same time to the martyrs of future times."

Also: " Aries prefigures Christ , freed from chains Isaac - redeemed humanity . The tree symbolizes the Cross, the place of sacrifice is compared to Jerusalem. Isaac going to the sacrifice is also a prototype of Christ and his suffering. St. Irenaeus of Lyons compares Abraham, who is ready to sacrifice his son, with God the Father, who sends Christ to redeem humanity."

And further: "The test was passed. Why was it necessary, since the Omniscient God knew for sure that Abraham would pass it? Yes, He knew - but Abraham did not know this yet. This means that he needed both this experience and this victory. And why is it needed us, or why did the ancient Jews or even their neighbors need it? The story of Abraham and Isaac explained why the Israelites categorically refused human casualties . It is not that they were too pampered or did not value their God highly enough to give the lives of their loved ones to him. No, Abraham was ready to do this, but God Himself rejected the unnecessary sacrifice of an innocent child.

But you can find many other facets to this story. For example, she tells us that the path of faith consists of paradoxes, and cruel paradoxes , if you approach them with earthly standards. You receive everything that is promised to you, and much more, but not at all in such an easy and convenient way as you would like and as you could do - precisely because God needs you not just for who you are now, and the best, the strongest, the most faithful and the most beautiful, whatever you can become. " (A. Desnitsky)

More about Abraham and the significance of his story:
From Lopukhin’s “Explanatory Bible”: azbyka.ru/otechnik/Biblia/tolkovaja_bibl ija_01/22
Andrey Desnitsky. Calling of Abraham, Sacrifice of Isaac
An excellent and detailed biography with illustrations and maps, some of which I borrowed from this post: www.hram-troicy.prihod.ru/zhitie_svjatyk h_razdel/view/id/1172743
Anthony of Surozhskiy in the conversation “Lessons of the Old Testament”: azbyka.ru/otechnik/Antonij_Surozhskij/o-s lyshanii-i-delanii/2_2

Mount Moriah - Temple Mount in Jerusalem

Where did the sacrifice of Isaac take place? “On Mount Moriah,” God pointed out this place to Abraham. Subsequently, almost a thousand years later, it was on this site that King Solomon built the Jerusalem Temple, which existed from 950 BC. before 586 BC; The Second Temple was built on its site in 516 BC. and destroyed in 20 AD, but I have yet to read about all of this, so I will not delve into the question yet.

This place, known since then as the Temple Mount, is also notable because, according to Jewish tradition, it was here that the creation of the world began - namely, from a section of rock called the Foundation Stone, the cornerstone of the universe.

And at the end of the 7th century, a Muslim sanctuary was erected on this very spot, called the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque - the third of the most important Muslim shrines; the fact is that it was from here that the prophet Muhammad was ascended to heaven (this event is called miraj; it was preceded by a miraculous journey from Mecca to Jerusalem in the company of the archangel Gabriel - isra). In the 12th century, my beloved Templars made their mark there, setting up their headquarters precisely in the buildings of the Dome of the Rock, which temporarily passed into their hands (this is understandable, the Templars are the knights of the Order of the Temple of Solomon; although the Dome of the Rock was not actually the same Temple of Solomon, such it was considered by his European contemporaries).

(The Temple Mount today. On the site of the Jewish Temple is now the Al Aqsa Mosque, the Dome of the Rock complex)

Abraham and Isaac vs Abraham and Ishmael

In the Muslim tradition, Abraham is called Ibrahim, and his sons Isaac and Ishmael are Ishak and Ishmael (cf. Hebrew pronunciation: Isaac and Ishmael). The Koran also tells the stories of their birth: Isaac - from Sarah, Ismail - from her maidservant Hajar (Hagar). The story with Sarah’s jealousy and the expulsion of Ismail and his mother is repeated, only it is said that Abraham Ibrahim himself led them, and not to Beersheba (Beersheba) in Palestine, as in the Bible, but to Arabia itself (according to the Bible, she went there only after), and there he left them alone in the desert. Then the story repeats with despair and prayer of Hagar-Hajar and her son, and the granting of a sacred source of water to them - Zamzam. In addition, Ibrahim built the sanctuary of the Kaaba together with his son Ismail; The pilgrimage ritual of Hajj is also associated with them, following the main events of their lives.

The Qur'an does not directly indicate the name of the son whom Ibrahim was going to sacrifice; but the prevailing opinion is that it was not Isaac-Ishak, but precisely Ismail, from whom many Arab tribes descended.


(Fresco in the Haft Tanan (Seven Graves) Museum in Shiraz)

O tempora, o mores, or “the east is a delicate matter”?

In the history of Abraham and his family and descendants there are many details that directly shock readers, especially modern ones; In this case, I do not mean situations that have symbolic and conceptual significance (for example, the manifestation of absolute faith and trust in God in the actions of Abraham, especially his willingness to sacrifice his son), but the details of personal life. Some can be explained by the customs of culture and era, some are puzzling: after all, we are talking, it seems, about “good people” chosen by God to carry out his will, the righteous or their loved ones. A few examples of the “turbulent personal lives” of biblical heroes:

  • consanguineous marriages: Abraham is married to his half-sister; He marries his son to his own niece... (but this is the cultural norm of the time and place)(in addition, in the future the “chosen people” had to maintain the purity of faith and choose spouses from among themselves, and not pagans)
  • the husband, in addition to his wife (or wives), also has concubines (for Abraham - Hagar and Ketur, although the first became a concubine at the insistence of the wife herself, and the second - after the death of Sarah; also a cultural norm)
  • twice Abram passes off his wife as his sister to save your life and well-being in a foreign country (but each time God prevents an attack on her honor and the story ends happily; in addition, it contributes to the conversion of the ruler who wished to take Sarah into the harem to faith)(this is usually explained, again, by Abram’s trust in God - that he would not allow Sarah to be dishonored... but rather, this is an example not of faith, but of cowardice)
  • twice a woman with a child is actually pushed out the door (Hagar; for the first time she escapes from the oppression of her mistress Sarah, the second time she is officially expelled)(however, God turns this for good, and a whole people comes from Hagar; so this can be considered an act of Providence, although Sarah does not justify, she shows banal jealousy and cruelty)
  • Lot, protecting his guests (angels) from the attacks of the depraved inhabitants of Sodom, offers his daughters in exchange -virgins who, moreover, had suitors (the logic of the East? is a guest more valuable than his own daughter?)(however, the daughters subsequently also manifest themselves in a dubious way: having escaped from Sodom and hiding in a cave, having given their father drink, they conceive children from him, from whom descend the tribes of the Moabites and Ammonites - pagan peoples hostile to Israel)
  • with the assistance of his mother Rebekah, Jacob by deception receives a birthright blessing from his father, Isaac (even though it rightfully belonged to his brother Esau)(again, everything turns out for the better)
  • in order to marry his chosen one, Jacob is forced to work for her for seven years for her father, who eventually replaces the bride and gives his second, ugly daughter; Jacob marries her, but remains to work for another seven years to get his beloved, who becomes his second wife; as a result, he gets two more concubines as a bonus; from all these women he has children (however, "purchase" of brides, as well as polygamy and the presence of concubines, these are also signs of the times)
Then there was also a lot of interesting stuff, but I haven’t finished reading it yet :)

So here it is. Even if we explain and justify certain actions of the heroes of the Old Testament by the norms, priorities and customs of their time and culture, which are very different from those of our time (as well as those that were introduced already during the New Testament - i.e. they still had to grow up to them), we still encounter many manifestations ordinary human weaknesses and vices: envy and jealousy, anger and vindictiveness, cunning and deception... You may even get the impression that “in the name of God all means are good” - after all, God continues to lead all these people along His path, despite the fact that they do not always show in everything there is virtue and holiness.

But : I don’t remember when and where I first read this idea, but it impressed me very much then, and it still impresses me: the narrative of the Old Testament is very honest story. Without embellishment, just as it is. The path of the people of Israel was not a smooth path; those who walked along it constantly stumbled, fell, turned away from the path, betrayed their Covenant, and again returned and climbed further; the main thing is that one way or another they reached the New Testament. Among them were ordinary and extraordinary people, and the most famous of them were just people, and the children of Adam, the writers of the books of the Old Testament did not turn a blind eye to the weaknesses and meanness that all people sometimes commit, they simply preserved these details of the story. “A person is called righteous not because he is sinless, but because in the process of long Divine education his life path becomes an example.”

To be continued This entry was originally posted at

Sima, (Semites) a tribe of Jews stood out. Shem's descendant Terah (Terach) lived in the Babylonian city of Ur with his sons, grandsons and relatives. When it became inconvenient for Terah to live in Babylonia, he took all his relatives and moved with them to the north - to Haran, to the country of the Arameans. Here he died, and his family was divided: the family of his son Nahor remained in Aram and merged with the Aramean tribe, while another son of Terah, Abraham, took his wife Sarah, nephew Lotta and other relatives and moved with them to the neighboring Canaan(Palestine). The settlers here were nicknamed “Jews,” that is, “trans-river people” who came from the bank of a distant river.

The Jewish ancestor (patriarch) Abraham believed in one God (Elohim), the creator of heaven and earth. Tradition says that God himself ordered Abraham to go to Canaan, telling him: “Go from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you, for there a great nation will come from you.” Translated from Hebrew, the name Abraham means (“father of many”, “father of nations”).

Abraham moves to Canaan. Mosaic of the Basilica of San Marco, Venice, 1215-1235

Jewish settlers took up shepherding in Canaan, wandering around the country. After some time, the family of his nephew Lot separated from Abraham's family. Both families had large flocks of sheep. Disputes began between Abraham's shepherds and Lot's shepherds over pastures. Then Abraham said to Lot: “It’s too close for us to live together, so let’s go in different directions.” Lot retired with his people to the shores of the Dead Sea, where the city of Sodom was located. Abraham pitched his tents near the city of Hebron, near the oak grove of Mamre. Here he entered into an alliance with the local princes of the people Amorites and lived as an elder of the tribe of the Jews.

Abraham's military exploits

One day there was a famine in Canaan. This forced Abraham to move to neighboring Egypt for a time. There is an Egyptian king ( Pharaoh) decided to take away his beautiful wife Sarah from Abraham - and had already taken her to his palace. But soon the king and his household fell ill with leprosy: their bodies were covered with boils and ulcers. The king realized that this was God’s punishment for kidnapping someone else’s wife, sent Sarah to her husband and ordered them to leave Egypt. Abraham and his family returned to Canaan.

Soon the tribe of Abraham had to wage war against the rulers of Asia - Babylonians, whose power was recognized by the kings of Sodom and four other Canaanite cities on the shores of the Dead Sea. One day, the Canaanite kings decided to no longer submit to foreigners. Kings Elamite and the Babylonians, in response, invaded Canaan with an army, ravaged Sodom and neighboring cities, captured a lot of booty and captured Abraham's nephew, Lot, who lived in Sodom. Then Abraham took with him a detachment of several hundred people, chased the Elamites and Babylonians, overtook them at Damascus, freed Lot and other captives and took away the plunder. The king of Sodom invited Abraham, as the winner, to take all this booty for himself; but selfless Abraham said: “I swear that I will not take a single thread or a single shoe strap, except what was spent on feeding my soldiers.” This feat of Abraham glorified him throughout Canaan.

Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

But in Sodom and the neighboring cities, delivered by Abraham from foreign yoke, the people were very vicious, indulged in violence, robbery and debauchery. God revealed to Abraham that a terrible disaster would soon befall the sinful inhabitants of these cities. Abraham begged God to spare the sodomites, among whom, perhaps, there were honest people. But God answered: “I would have spared the inhabitants of Sodom if only fifty righteous people had been found there.” Abraham asked God to spare the city if there were at least ten righteous people there; but there weren’t that many. Warned by Abraham, Lot hastened to get out of Sodom with his family. Following this, streams of brimstone and flame poured from the sky onto Sodom, Gomorrah and the surrounding cities. All the people there died, and the entire region turned into a gloomy desert near the Dead Sea. Lot went with his family to the mountains. His daughters had two sons: Moab and Ben-Ammi. They became the ancestors of two tribes: the Moabites and the Ammonites, who in later times created their own kingdoms east of the Jordan River.

Sons of Abraham - Isaac and Ishmael

Abraham and his wife Sarah were already very old, and they did not yet have children. Abraham had another wife from his slaves, an Egyptian Hagar. Hagar bore him a son named Ismail. But it was not this son from a slave who was destined to become the heir of Abraham and the new patriarch of the Jews. When Abraham was almost a hundred years old, God told him that he would soon have a son with Sarah. Abraham thought: can a hundred-year-old man have children, and can a ninety-year-old Sarah give birth? Sarah also laughed when one day three mysterious wanderers came into their tent and predicted that in a year she would hold her son in her arms. But a year later Sarah gave birth to a male child, who was given the name Isaac(Yitzhak). In Christian traditions, the Old Testament image of three strangers who appeared to Abraham and his wife is interpreted as a symbol of the trinity of the Divine, a confirmation of the dogma of the Trinity.

Hospitality of Abraham. Byzantine mosaic of the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy. 6th century

On the eighth day from birth, a special sign was made on the body of baby Isaac. Abraham and all the male members of his family made the same sign for themselves earlier, at the behest of God, in memory of the eternal union between God and the Jews. Since then, this ritual, called “circumcision,” has been performed by religious Jews on all newborn boys.

As a child, Isaac loved to play with his side brother, Ismail. Sarah did not like the idea of ​​her son and the slave's son being raised as equal heirs of Abraham; she demanded that her husband drive Ishmael and his mother Hagar out of the house. Abraham felt sorry for Ishmael, but he had to fulfill Sarah's request. He ordered Hagar and Ishmael to leave home, giving them bread and a skin of water for the journey.

Expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael. Artist Guercino, 1657

Hagar and Ishmael got lost in the desert. The water came out of the skin and they had nothing to drink. Hagar left her son under a bush, saying: I don’t want to see my child die of thirst! She herself sat down at a distance and began to cry. And she heard the voice of an angel of God: “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Don't be afraid. Raise up your son and lead him by the hand, for from him will come a great nation.” Hagar looked up and saw a well of water from which she gave her son a drink. Ismail remained to live in the desert and became a skillful rider and shooter. Ismail's descendants roamed south of Palestine. From them came the people Arabs.

Abraham moved from Hebron to the city of Gerar, on the southwestern outskirts of Palestine. Living among pagan polytheists, he remained faithful to the one God. One day God wanted to test Abraham and told him: “Take your beloved son Isaac and sacrifice him to Me on Mount Moriah.”

It was difficult for Abraham to fulfill this command of God, but he got up early in the morning, took Isaac with him and went to the mountain. Isaac thought that his father would sacrifice a sheep or ram. When Abraham had already prepared everything for the sacrifice, Isaac asked him: here is the wood and the fire, but where is the sheep for the sacrifice? Abraham silently took his son, tied him up, laid him on the altar on top of the firewood and was already stretching out his hand to the knife, but then he heard a voice from heaven: “Abraham, do not stretch out your hand to the boy. Now I know how much you honor Me, since you did not spare even your only son for My sake.” Abraham looked up and saw a ram not far away, its horns entangled in the bushes. Rejoicing, he took his son off the altar and slaughtered a ram in his place.

Sacrifice of Isaac. Painter Caravaggio, 1597-1599

God did not want human sacrifices, such as those made by the pagans of Canaan in honor of idols. He only wanted to test his chosen one, Abraham, and became convinced that the Jewish patriarch was devoted to Him with all his soul and was ready to sacrifice everything to fulfill the will of God.

Abraham's Last Years

Sarah, Abraham's wife, died when she was 127 years old. Abraham buried his wife near Hebron, in the cave of Machpelah, and now began to think about choosing a wife for Isaac. He sent his faithful servant and steward Eliezer to look for a wife for Isaac in the ancient homeland of the Jewish tribe. Having loaded 10 camels with gifts, Eliezer went to the land from which the Jews came - to Mesopotamia. Among the relatives of Abraham's brother, Nahor, he found a beautiful and caring girl, Rebekah, for Isaac.

Abraham was already very old at that time. He died at the age of 175. He was buried next to Sarah, in the cave of Machpelah near Hebron.

And the Lord said to Abram, Get thee out of thy land, from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land that I will show thee.(Genesis 12:1).

Patriarch Abraham - the founder of the chosen people- occupies a special place in the economy of our salvation. The calling of Abraham was not only the first stage in the implementation of the Divine plan for the salvation of mankind, but also established its main direction. From his calling until his death he is under special Divine care. God guides his life. Abraham, having perfect faith, unconditionally accepts the Divine plan and submits in everything will of God. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.(Rom 4:3). The history of the people from whom the The Blessed Virgin Mary, who gave birth to the Savior of the world.

Based on the data of the Greek Bible, the dates of the life of Patriarch Abraham should be considered 2165-1940 BC.

Pagan false belief was widespread at that time. It even infected the family from which Abraham came. The Lord calls Abraham to preserve intact the true worship of God, which distinguished Abraham from other contemporaries. His homeland was Ur. It was first a Sumerian and then a Chaldean city. It was located in the south of Mesopotamia, near the Persian Gulf. In ancient times, the Euphrates flowed here, the waters of which have now moved almost five kilometers to the east from this place. Archaeological excavations carried out in 1922-1934 by British archaeologist L. Woolley showed that Ur was one of the most civilized cities of the Ancient World, highly cultured and comfortable. It is easy to see Abraham's spiritual greatness, powerful faith and amazing submission to the all-good Divine will. He leaves a rich, refined life in a flourishing city and becomes a wanderer, without an inch of his land. In the person of the forefather of our faith, the Lord, many centuries before the advent of Christianity, revealed to people the lofty idea that in this life we ​​are all wanderers and that our whole life should be filled sweet longing for the Heavenly Fatherland.

By birth he was named Abram (see: Gen. 11, 31; 12, 1), which means, according to the etymology accepted by researchers, father of height, tall father(av - father, ram - tall). Later, when the Lord established His Covenant with the ninety-nine-year-old patriarch, He said: You will no longer be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations.(Genesis 17:5). Naming is the responsibility of the parents. However, biblical history provides many examples convincing that their choice was guided by Divine Providence. So it was with the founder of the chosen people.

The biblical account of Abraham is divided into four periods in the book of Genesis, each of which focuses on the Lord's appearances to the patriarch and the Divine blessings that accompanied them. The first appearance to Abraham was still in Ur. The Lord commanded to leave his hometown and relatives and go to the land that he would show (see: 12, 1). The Holy Apostle Paul says that Abraham by faith obeyed the call to go to the country that he had to receive.

Patriarch Abraham settled in Hebron, near the oak grove in Mamre. This famous grove was named after the Amorite Mamri, who, as an ally of Abraham, is mentioned in the book of Genesis (see: Gen. 14, 24).

When Abraham learned that four Mesopotamian kings had raided the kingdom of Sodom and taken his nephew Lot into captivity, he armed three hundred and eighteen of his servants and defeated the Mesopotamian kings, pursuing them to Dan. During the return of the patriarch, an event occurred in the Shave valley that, in its symbolic meaning, is one of the most important in Old Testament Sacred history: Abraham was met King of Salem Melchizedek, who carried out Bread and Wine. He was priest of the Most High God. Melchizedek blessed him. Abraham gave him a tenth of all he had.

The personality of Melchizedek is absolutely exceptional. Throughout the Old Testament, he is mentioned twice: in the book of Genesis (see: Gen. 14:18) and in Psalm 109, in which the prophet David speaks of the high priestly service of Christ according to the “order of Melchizedek” (see: Ps. 109:4) . Melchizedek is mentioned nine times in the New Testament: in the Epistle to the Hebrews (see: 7, 1-15), where the holy Apostle Paul puts Melchizedek into a mysterious connection with our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Two statements can be confidently made: first, Melchizedek is a historical figure. He lived and reigned during the time of Abraham. Secondly, this personality is educational. In Hebrew, his name is pronounced “Malkitzedek” (“king of truth”). Salem (in Hebrew - peace) is identified by biblical scholars with the city of Jerusalem. The bread and wine with which Melchizedek blessed Abraham are prototype of the New Testament Sacrament of the Eucharist.

After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a night vision. He was told: Do not be afraid, Abram; I am your shield; your reward [will be] very great(Genesis 15:1). In response, the patriarch said that he was childless. God told him: look up at the sky and count the stars if you can count them. And he said to him: so many descendants will you have(15, 5). Abram believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.

Abram was seventy-five years old when the Lord first promised to make him a great nation. When Ishmael was born, Abram was already eighty-six years old. Saint John Chrysostom writes: “God tested the patience of the righteous man for another thirteen years and only then fulfilled His promise. He knew well that, like gold purified after a long time in a crucible, the virtue of the righteous will appear (in temptation) purer and brighter” (Conversations on the book of Genesis. 39.2).

God commanded Abraham to do on the eighth day circumcision male babies like sign of the covenant between God and the descendants of Abraham. Circumcision was a visible, distinctive sign of belonging to God's chosen people. In a spiritual sense, circumcision, which consists of cutting off the foreskin of the reproductive organ, symbolized the cutting off of carnal lusts and unclean desires. The mysterious meaning of circumcision foreshadowed the New Testament Sacrament of Baptism, washing away this hereditary ancestral damage.

Soon Abraham was honored with a new theophany, which is recognized as one of the most significant in Old Testament history. The Lord appeared to him near the oak grove of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance to the tent during the heat of the day. In a vision of three strangers, Abram was shown a secret three Persons of the Divine Trinity. Abraham ran towards the three and bowed as one: Lord! If I have found favor in Your sight, do not pass by Your servant. The biblical story of the appearance of three men to Abraham found expression in iconography.

Patriarch Abraham arranged a meal for three visitors, showing strangeness. After the meal, two Angels went to Sodom, and one remained. The inhabitants of the city were infected with a vile sin. The Patriarch turns to the remaining Angel as to the Lord, with a prayer to save the city in which his nephew lived with his family. The entire conversation of the patriarch with God, which can also be called prayer, is extremely edifying. It shows God’s great condescension and the meaning of the highest Divine truth, which does not allow the undeserved death of the righteous. This conversation also testifies to Abraham’s boldness in prayer.

The Lord promised: If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, then for their sake I will spare this whole place(Genesis 18, 26). Strengthened by these words, Abraham continues his intercession with even greater persistence, while calling himself humbly dust and ashes. Realizing how few righteous people there are in Sodom, he dares to reduce the number to forty. Since so many righteous people were not there, he asks to spare the city for the sake of thirty. Then he lowers the number to twenty, and then to ten. But there were not so many righteous people in the corrupt city.

Lot showed hospitality to two Angels. The wicked inhabitants of Sodom showed the full extent of their disgusting sinfulness. They judged themselves. When dawn rose, the angels led Lot, his wife and two daughters out of the city. They ordered them to hurry up the mountain without looking back so as not to die. Lot was afraid that he would not have time to climb the mountain. He asked permission to flee to the city of Zoar. God's mercy and condescension again manifested themselves, for Zoar was also destined for destruction, but for the sake of righteous Lot God preserved it.

When the sun rose and Lot and his family were already in Zoar, the Lord rained sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah.

After the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham moved south and settled between Kadesh and Shur. Here God's promise to Abraham was fulfilled. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son. The Patriarch was already a hundred years old. The son born was named Isaac, as the Lord had previously commanded Abraham. On the eighth day, as God commanded him, Abraham circumcised his son.

When Isaac reached adolescence, God sent Abraham great test of faith. The everyday writer does not indicate the age of the patriarch’s son, but from the text it can be seen that he was old enough and could carry firewood for the altar himself. God commanded to take his son, go to the land of Moriah and sacrifice him. When the bound Isaac lay on the wood, and Abraham took the knife in his hands, the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven and said: do not raise your hand against the boy and do nothing to him. Saint John Chrysostom notes: “Do you see God’s love for mankind? And the sacrifice was completed, and the forefather showed the piety of his soul, received a crown for his one intention” (Conversations on the book of Genesis. XLVII). This is an event of sacred history prefigures the great sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. The Only Begotten Son of God, out of obedience to God the Father, offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of people. Isaac, who was destined for death, found life. This is a symbol of the resurrection of Christ.

Later, under King Solomon, a Jerusalem Temple.

Having lived one hundred and twenty-seven years, Sarah died in Hebron. As the mother of all believers, she is the only Old Testament woman whose years of life are indicated in the Holy Scriptures. The Holy Apostle Peter sets Sarah as an example to wives: So Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him master. You are her children if you do good and are not embarrassed by any fear(1 Pet 3:6).