PREFACE

Shakespeare probably read Genesis 22 in the Geneva Bible (1560). I present the text of verses 1–19 here with modernized spelling and typography.

And after these things God did prove Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham. Who answered Here am I.

And he said, Take now thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest, and get thee unto the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains, which I will show thee.

Then Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his ass, and took two of his servants with him, and Isaac his son, and clove wood for the burnt offering and rose up and went to the place, which God had told him.

Then the third day Abraham lift[ed] up his eyes, and saw the place a far off.

And said unto his servants, Abide you here with the ass: for I and the child will go yonder and worship, and come again unto you.

Then Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son, and he took the fire in his hand, and the knife: and they went both together.

Then spoke Isaac unto Abraham his father, and said, My father. And he answered, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood, but where is lamb for the burnt offering?

Then Abraham answered, My son, God will provide him a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both together.

When they came to the place which God had showed him, Abraham built an altar there, and coached the wood, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

And Abraham stretching forth his hand, took the knife to kill his son.

But the Angel of the Lord called unto him from heaven, saying Abraham, Abraham. And he answered, Here am I.

Then he said, Lay not thine hand upon the child, neither do anything unto him: for now I know that thou fear God, seeing for my sake thou has not spared thine only son.

And Abraham lifting up his eyes, looked and behold, there was a ram behind him caught by the horns in a bush. Then Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah: as it is said this day, In the mount will the Lord be seen.

And the Angel of the Lord cried unto Abraham from heaven a second time.

And said, By my self have I sworn (faith the Lord) because thou has done this thing, and have not spared thine only son,

Therefore I will surely bless thee, and will greatly multiply thy seed, as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore, and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.

And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou has obeyed my voice.

Then turned Abraham again unto his servants, and they rose up, and went together to Beersheba: and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.