Page:Legends of Old Testament Characters.djvu/196

174 10. THE OFFERING OF ISAAC. Abraham loved the son of his old age, and Isaac grew up in the fear of God, and his good conduct heightened the love Abraham bore him; but the Patriarch thought in his heart, "I prepare gifts to give of my abundance to every man that asks of me, and to every passer-by; but to my Lord and God, the Giver of all good things, have I given nothing!" There was a day when the sons of God (the angels) stood before the Eternal One, and amongst them was the accusing angel, Satan or Sammael. The Lord asked him, "Whence comest thou?" "From walking to and fro upon the face of the earth," he replied. "And what hast thou beheld there of the doings of the sons of men?" The Accuser answered, "I saw that the sons of earth no longer praise Thee, and adore Thee; when they have obtained their petition, then they forget to give Thee thanks. I saw that Abraham, the son of Terah, as long as he was childless, built altars and proclaimed Thy name to all the world: now he has been given a son at the age of a hundred, and he forgets Thee. I went to his door as a beggar, on the day that Isaac was weaned, and I was turned away without an alms. I have seen him strike alliance with the King of the Philistines, a nation that knows Thee not, and to him has he given seven lambs. He has built a large house and he gives to strangers, but to Thee he gives no sacrifice of value. Ask of him any sacrifice that is costly, and he will refuse it."

"What shall I ask?" inquired the Almighty. "Ask of him now his son, and he will refuse him to Thy face." "I will do so, and thou shalt be confounded," answered the Holy One. The self-same night God appeared to Abraham, and addressed him gently so as not to alarm him, and He said to him, "Abraham!" The patriarch in deep humility answered, "Here am I, Lord; what willest Thou of Thy servant?"