Genesis Vol 3.pdf - College Press

CONFIRMATION OF COVENANT 22 : 1-24
(NBD, 842). “Moriab signifies ‘the vision’ or ‘manifestation
of Jehovah.’ The name is here given to ‘the land’ on
one of whose mountains the sacrifice was to be offered
up; it is also given to the mountain on which the temple
was built. The common belief is that these two places
were identical, and we see no reason to doubt or question
it. Mount Moria11 is an oblong-shaped hill, or rather point
of a ridge, having the deep glen of the Tyropoeon on the
west, and the Kidron on the east. The glens unite at the
foot of the hill on the south. The elevation of the summit
above the bottom of the glens is about 3JO feet. Moriah
is now crowned by the Great Mosque, and is one of the
most venerated sanctuaries of the Mohammedans” (SIBG,
248).
2. The Journey, vv. 1-8.
“The accumulation of brief,
sententious clauses here admirably represents the calm de-
liberation and unflinching heroism with which the patriarch
proceeded to execute the Divine command” (PCG, 2 8 3 ) .
Note the pipeparations: these were begun early in the morn-
ing (cf. 19:27, 20:8, 21:14). The patriarch saddled his
ass, and took two of his young men with him-the ass
for the wood, the young men for the ass; and Zsaac his
SOIZ (probably explaining to him as yet only his intention
to offer sacrifice on a distant mountain). Nothing is
indicated here but sublime innocence on Isaac’s part and
unflinching resoluteness and obedience on the part of
Abraham. (Did Abraham say anything to Sarah about this
journey, especially the purpose of it? We doubt it. From
previous attitudes on her part we can hardly believe that
she would have accepted this apparently tragic commission
with the same unflinching obedience of faith that charac-
terized Abraham’s response) . “While the outward prep-
arations are graphically described, no word is spared for
the conflict in Abraham’s breast-a striking illustration of
the reticence of the legends with regard to mental states”
(Skinner, ICCG, 329). How old was Isaac at this time?
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