Isaac

ISAAC, the son of Abraham and Sarah. His name signifies laughter, and Sarah gave it him, because when the Angel promised that she should become a mother, tho she was not of an age to have any children, she privately laugh’d at the Gen. xviii. 10, 11, 12.prediction. And when the Child was born, she said¹, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. She suckled him herself, and would not suffer Ishmael, whom Abraham had had by his maid-servant Hagar, to inherit with him. One day having seen Ishmael, jesting with Isaac, perhaps in a jeering and too rough a manner; she prevailed with Abraham to turn him and his mother Hagar out of doors². When Isaac grew to be about five and twenty years of age³, the Lord tempted Abraham, and commanded him to sacrifice his son to him. Abraham therefore took Isaac, and set out with two of his servants, on his way to the place which the Lord should shew him. On the third day, discerning this place at a distance, he said to his servants, tarry here, while I and my son go yonder, and after we have worshiped, we will return to you. He provided himself with wood for the burnt-offering, placed it upon his son Isaac, and took fire in his hand, and a knife. As they were going together, Isaac said to his father, behold the fire and the wood, but where is the burnt offering. Abraham without opening himself farther, answered him. My son, God will provide one for himself.

When they were come to the place appointed, which is, as is believed⁴, mount Moriah, where afterwards the temple of Jerusalem was built: the Samaritans think it was mount Gerizim, called likewise according to them Moreh or Morah; and it is certain that Morah was in the neighbourhood of Shechem; when he was come See Gen. xi. 6. & Deut. xi. 30.thither Abraham put the wood in order, bound Isaac with an intention to make use of him for a victim; and taking the knife, he stretched forth his had, with a design to kill his son. But the Angel of the Lord called unto him and said, lay not thine hand upon the lad; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son. He therefore unbound Isaac, and in his room sacrificed a ram, which he found near the place where they were, with his horns entangled in a thicket. After this, the Angel of the Lord said unto him; I have sworn by myself, saith the Lord, that since thou hast done this act, I will bless thee and multiply thy seed as the stars of Heaven, and all nations shall be blessed in him who shall proceed from thee.

When Isaac was forty years of age⁵, Abraham thought of providing him a wife; and as he was not willing that he should marry any of the Canaanites, he Gen. xxiv.sent Eliezer the steward of his House, into Mesopotamia, to procure one for him, who was of his brother-in-law Laban’s family. Eliezer succeeded in this journey, and conducted Rebekah to Isaac. Isaac married her, and brought her into his mother’s apartment, who died some years before. In the year of the world 2145. Gen. xxv. 21, 22, &c.Rebekkah being barren, Isaac prayed for her, and God granted her the favour of conception. She conceived, and was delivered of twins⁶, Esau and Jacob. Isaac had more inclination for Esau, and Rebekah for Jacob. Now there happened to be some years after⁷ a great famine, which obliged Isaac to retire to Gerar, Gen. xxvi. 1, 2, 3, &c.where Abimelech was King: he told the inhabitants of the place, that Rebekah was his sister; and she was very soon taken away from him, by reason of her uncommon beauty, in order to be the king’s wife. But Abimelech having observed, that Isaac behaved otherwise with Rebekah, than he would have done with his sister, restored her to him. In the mean time, Isaac grew very rich, and the number of his flocks multiplying every day, the Philistines, who were the inhabitants of Gerar, were so envious at it, that they filled up all the wells which Isaac’s servants had dug in the country. Abimelech himself desired him to go from thence, because he was become too powerful. He withdrew therefore, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, where he dug new wells, and was put to some difficulties again in this point. At length he returned to Beersheba, where he Gen. xxvi. 23, 24, &c.fixed his habitation.

The Lord appeared to him, and renewed the promises which he had already made to him, of blessing him, and multiplying his seed. Abimelech king of Gerar came thither likewise, in order to make an alliance with him⁸. Now Isaac being grown very old, (for he was an hundred and thirty seven years of age⁹,) and his sight being extremely weakened, he called Esau his eldest son and said, You see that I am old, and know not the day of my death; take therefore your arms, go a hunting, and when you have got something, dress it for me in the manner which you know to be agreeable to me, and bring it, that I may bless you before I dye. But while Esau was gone a hunting, Jacob by surprize stole Isaac’s blessing, as we have related in the articles, Jacob and Esau. Wherefore when Esau presented himself before Isaac, in order to receive his blessing, he found that he had been prevented by his brother Jacob.

Isaac lived yet a good while after this. Gen. xxvii. 1, 2, &c. Gen. xxvii. 1, 2, &c.He sent Jacob into Mesopotamia, there to take a wife of his own family, and that he might not marry among the Canaanites, as his brother Esau had done. When Jacob returned out of this Country, at the end of twenty years, Isaac was still living, and continued so three and twenty years longer; then he died at the age of an Gen. xxxv. 28, 29.hundred fourscore and eight years, in the year of the world 2288, before J. C. 1712, before the vulgar Æra 1716; and was buried with Abraham, by his sons Esau and Jacob. The Hebrews say, that Isaac was instructed in the study of the law, by the Patriarchs Shem and Eber, who were then living; and that when Abraham departed, with a design to go and sacrifice Sgambat. Archiv. V. T. l. 2. p. 197.Isaac, he told Sarah, that he was carrying his son to Shem’s school. They believe likewise, that Abraham composed the prayers which they repeat usually in the Vide Fabric. Apocry. V. T. p. 434. Ita Hebræi, & alij post eos. Hieronym. in Isai. l. iii. c. xx. ex Hebræis.morning; Isaac their noon day, and Jacob their evening prayers.

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