Abraham Sacrifices Isaac

Summary

The Chosen People – "Abraham Sacrifices Isaac"

Podcast Host: Pray.com
Episode Date: November 11, 2025

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Episode Overview

This powerful episode of The Chosen People podcast retells one of the Old Testament’s most famous and challenging stories: Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son Isaac at God’s command (Genesis 22). With immersive narration, dramatized dialogue, and vivid internal monologue, it explores intense themes of faith, obedience, and the personal cost of trusting God beyond understanding. Through Abraham’s—and Sarah’s—anguish and courage, listeners are invited to wrestle with the complexities of loving God, family, and the mysterious path of faith.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Fulfillment of God’s Promise

• Recap of Abraham’s Journey: Narration grounds the story in the birth of Isaac, the long-awaited son promised by God. There is great joy and laughter in Isaac’s arrival after years of longing, setting the tone for the magnitude of God’s request (01:01–02:46).
  • “Sarah has given you a son. Isaac.” (01:38)
  • “God made me laugh when I first learned of his intentions for my life. But now everyone will laugh with me.” – Sarah (02:10)

2. The Unthinkable Command

• God’s Sudden Instruction: While tending the covenant tree in Beersheba, Abraham hears God’s voice, commanding him to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac in the land of Moriah (05:23–06:45).

  • “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love. Go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering.” – God (06:45)

• Abraham’s Turmoil & Resignation: Abraham’s internal struggle is intensely portrayed as he grapples with the apparent contradiction between God’s promise and this command (06:57–09:10).

  • “What was this terrible thing you've asked me to do? To give up the very promise I've been waiting for a quarter century?” – Abraham (07:28)
  • “Yet he knew the faithfulness of his God. Every promise had been kept, every word fulfilled. Even when it seemed impossible.” (07:49)

3. The Cost to Sarah and Their Family

• Abraham Reveals the Command: Abraham musters the courage to share God’s command with Sarah. Their conversation is raw and heart-wrenching, centering on trust, loss, and the nature of faith (11:32–14:57).
  • “A trial that would end in execution. The death of the very promise upon which our entire lives, our entire legacy stands.” – Sarah (13:28)
  • “You would murder our son?” – Sarah (13:45)
  • “I will do what our God asks of me.” – Abraham (13:48)
  • “If you commit this act, I cannot accept you… Are you willing to risk the hate of your family for your God?” – Sarah (15:25)

4. The Journey to Moriah

• Abraham, Isaac, and two servants travel for three days. Abraham’s inner monologue and interactions with Isaac show the depth of his love, uncertainty, and obedience (16:34–18:54).

• Isaac’s Innocence and Questions: Isaac carries the wood and notices the absence of a lamb for sacrifice (22:21–23:59).

  • “Where’s the lamb for the burnt offering?” – Isaac (23:27)
  • “Our God will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.” – Abraham (23:53)

5. The Act of Sacrifice

• Climax of the Test: The most intense section features Abraham preparing Isaac for sacrifice, Isaac’s confused submission, and Abraham’s excruciating emotional anguish as he lifts the knife (25:01–28:24).

  • “Whatever you ask of me, Father, I’ll do.” – Isaac (25:07)
  • “Father, what are you doing?” – Isaac (26:56)
  • “What I must.” – Abraham (26:59)
  • “With one fell swoop of his blade, he would end it all, sacrifice it all for his God.” (27:47)
  • Memorable moment: The episode’s tension peaks as thunder rolls and Abraham shouts in agony to the heavens before the divine intervention (27:01–28:24).

• God Intervenes: As Abraham is about to strike, God calls out, halting the act and confirming Abraham’s faith (28:24–28:45).

  • “Abraham. Abraham… Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear your God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.” – God (28:24–28:45)

6. Substitute Sacrifice and Reaffirmed Covenant

• A Ram Provided: Abraham finds a ram caught in a thicket, which is sacrificed in Isaac’s place (28:59–29:50). There is immense emotional release for both father and son.

  • “This was not quite the lamb his son had inquired about, but this substitution would do.” (29:34)

• Covenant Restated: God restates and expands His covenant—offspring as numerous as the stars, power over enemies, universal blessing—affirming that obedience, not ritual, is the heart of the relationship (31:01–31:52).

  • “By myself I have sworn, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son, I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore… and all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed my command.” – God (31:01–31:52)

7. Aftermath and Reflection

• Abraham and Isaac return to Sarah, who is overjoyed. The family is reunited in a mixture of relief, faith, and lingering questions. Abraham’s faith, tested and proven, now becomes a legacy to be passed onto Isaac (32:00–32:49).
  • “He began to teach his precious son Isaac all the ways of his God.” (32:44)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sarah’s Anguish:
  “You would murder our son? … We left the gods of Ur long ago. They were the ones who required sacrifices like this.” (13:45–14:12)

• Abraham’s Relinquishment:
  “I trust that our God will provide and hold true to his promise to us. I would ask you to place your trust in our God as well.” – Abraham to Sarah (16:15)

• Climax of the Sacrifice:
  “With one fell swoop of his blade, he would end it all, sacrifice it all for his God.” (27:47)
  “Abraham. Abraham… Do not lay a hand on the boy…” – God’s voice, saving Isaac (28:24–28:45)

• Reaffirmation of the Covenant:
  “By myself I have sworn… I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore.” – God, after Abraham passes the test (31:01–31:20)

• Legacy:
  “He began to teach his precious son Isaac all the ways of his God.” (32:44)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Time | |-------------------------------------------|-----------| | Isaac’s Birth and Promise | 01:01–02:46| | God’s Command to Sacrifice Isaac | 06:22–06:57| | Abraham’s Inner Struggle | 07:28–10:10| | Abraham Tells Sarah | 11:32–16:34| | Journey to Mount Moriah | 18:25–22:21| | Isaac’s Question about the Sacrifice | 22:53–23:59| | Abraham Prepares to Sacrifice Isaac | 25:01–28:24| | God Intervenes | 28:24–28:45| | Ram is Sacrificed; Isaac is Spared | 28:59–31:01| | Covenant Reaffirmed | 31:01–31:52| | Family Reunion and Reflection | 32:00–32:49|

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Tone & Style

The episode blends solemn, contemplative narration with emotionally intense dramatizations. Abraham and Sarah’s dialogue is raw and very human, capturing the agony of faith when it exacts a terrible personal price. There is reverence, pain, and ultimately relief and hope. The storytelling stays close to the biblical text but draws out existential questions and modern resonances.

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Takeaway

This episode offers a gripping immersion into the story of Abraham and Isaac, emphasizing obedience, trust, and the costly path of faith. It challenges listeners to consider: Would you cling to what you love, or to the one who gave the promise? The narrative’s emotional honesty demonstrates the depth of biblical faith—not as blind certainty, but as wrestling and surrender in the face of the unknown.

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For more episodes, visit thechosenpeople.com

Transcript

[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Salam (Help The Persecuted Representative)]

This is Salam. I serve the Lord in the Middle east with Help The [e-mail] Once I heard about a family who fled their city because they trusted Christ as their Savior. I wanted to encourage the family before preaching at church that night. I told them that the Lord will never forsake them. The man answered, when we were in darkness, he was with us. This man reminded me that the Lord is working in the darkness to bring to the light those who are seeking the truth. I was reminded of the biblical truth in Isaiah 9:2 the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death. Upon them a light was shined. May his light shine upon you.

[Narrator]

Learn more about the work of Help the [e-mail] previously on the Chosen People. Can you count the stars, Abram?

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abram shook his head, uncertain.

[Narrator]

You cannot, for there are too many. It is impossible. It is to be the same with your offspring. The great nation I shall make through your air would be as innumerable as the stars in the night sky.

[Sarah]

I can't help it. You're never going to believe it. It's finally happened. God's promise to us.

[Abraham]

With child.

[Sarah]

You're going to be a father.

[Narrator]

Sarah has given you a son. Isaac.

[Abraham]

Master. The boy's name is Isaac.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

They laughed until tears streamed down their faces. Everyone in the room began to harmonize with them. Years of pent up tension from yearning for a child had finally released. Ironically, just like the babies.

[Narrator]

It is a miracle.

[Abraham]

It is our God.

[Sarah]

It truly is. Abraham, you have walked with our God for a long time and grown accustomed to his voice. I have always wondered how you sustained your faith all these years waiting for the impossible. But now I hear his voice too. I hear his voice in the cries of our Son here at last. And I hear it in all our laughter. God made me laugh when I first learned of his intentions for my life. But now everyone will laugh with me.

[Narrator]

Blessed be Abram, by God Most High, Creator of Heaven and Earth. In him, you and your great nation will have a protector and provider.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abram was pleased to know that he had done right by his God and that his reward would be something akin to a legacy, enduring and everlasting, just as the God Most High had promised him.

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[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abraham lifted the water skin with care, tilting it gently to pour its precious contents onto the base of the tamaris tree. The seedling had been planted after the covenant between him and Abimelech had been sealed, a symbol of peace in Beersheba. Each day since, Abraham had made the solemn pilgrimage to this spot, watering the young tree. The parched earth drank eagerly, the water seeping down to the tender roots below. This ritual had replaced his legendary walks along the borders of his lands, a new duty that brought him solace and reminded him of the steadfastness of his God and the covenant they had forged. As Abraham turned to leave, he felt the familiar stillness envelop him, the world around him falling silent. The voice of his God shattered the quiet.

[Narrator]

Abraham.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

The sound of his name spoken with such authority, startled Abraham. The formal address demanded his immediate response, and he answered without hesitation. He had felt the presence of his God each day, yet this call was different, a summons with a weighty purpose.

[Abraham]

Here I am.

[Narrator]

Listen carefully. Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love. Go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

On one of the mountains Abraham stood as if turned to stone, the words reverberating through him. The stillness lifted, leaving him alone with his tumultuous thoughts. His God was asking for Isaac, the son of the promise. The child he had waited for so long, the one for whom he had sacrificed and journeyed far from his homeland. How could he reconcile this command with the promises his God had made?

[Abraham]

What was this terrible thing you've asked me to do? To give up the very promise I've been waiting for a quarter century? You're the one who has affirmed it time and time again. And now that's it. What happened to the seed? The great nation, the blessing?

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abraham's words seemed to fall to the earth. There was no response from heaven. Just a gnawing, foreboding silence. Not even a breeze graced his ears. Abraham had left everything, endured hardships, and even sent away his first son, Ishmael, all for this promise. And now his God demanded Isaac as a sacrifice. The command was clear, but the purpose was shrouded in mystery. Abraham's heart ached as he recalled the pain of parting with Ishmael, a wound that had barely begun to heal. How could he bear to lose Isaac, the son who was to fulfill God's promise of a great nation? His mind was a tangled web of anguish and faith. Yet he knew the faithfulness of his God. Every promise had been kept, every word fulfilled. Even when it seemed impossible. Abraham grappled with the enormity of the command, the clash between his love for his son and his unwavering faith.

[Abraham]

If you require this, there must be a purpose, a plan beyond my understanding.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Doubt and dread gnawed at him, but his resolve hardened. He had to trust, to obey, even when it defied all reason. He supposed that his God could do miraculous things. He had wrought plagues and brought victory. He had even brought Sarah's barren womb back to life. Perhaps he would do the same with Isaac. In his conflicted heart, he relented. His God could not be denied. The promise would be fulfilled. Somehow. There had to be a way. There had to be a plan. Something he was not seeing. He couldn't lose his nerve. He had to stay the course. Unlike all those other times before, those times when he had deceived or hid or tried, taken matters into his own hands. The land of Moriah lay a three day journey away. He would need to prepare for this horrible task. He would also need to decide what to say to Isaac and his wife. Abraham stopped in his tracks. Sarah, the child that had grown inside her very womb. He was the answer to all of her deepest and most desperate prayers. How could he possibly take that son away from her? Going through with this act would cost more than one life. Abraham would be responsible for the death of his wife's faith. Perhaps the death of their marriage as well. Abraham cried out in his heart in torment and fumbled for the comforting presence in the back of his mind. This would be the ultimate test of of his faith, unlike anything he had experienced before. He reached out in his groaning and longing for comfort and was surprised to find that he felt a distant, fluttering peace there in the back of his mind where the presence of his God was often to be found. A simple question echoed back to him from the source. Would he cling to the son he had been given? Or cling to the word of his God? Abraham found his wife Sarah in their tent and he summoned all his courage as he braced to speak to her.

[Sarah]

Abraham.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

She could immediately see that he was troubled. He stamped down his fears and his doubts and he held fast to his flickering faith. He steadied himself and tried to will his thoughts to the here and now.

[Abraham]

I am here, Sarah.

[Narrator]

I.

[Sarah]

My husband. You are beginning to scare me. What is it?

[Abraham]

I. I was out at the site in Beersheba where I planted the Covenant Tree.

[Sarah]

What happened?

[Abraham]

Our God came to me. He has asked something of me. Of us. He asks me to take our son Isaac to the land of Moriah and offer him there he is to be a burnt offering to our God.

[Sarah]

What did you say?

[Abraham]

I am to offer our son to our God.

[Sarah]

Our son, Isaac?

[Abraham]

Yes.

[Sarah]

The one God promised to us is to be slain?

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Yes.

[Sarah]

Slain by your hand. His father?

[Abraham]

Yes.

[Sarah]

And you're sure you did not misinterpret? Were you drunk or.

[Commercial Announcer]

No.

[Abraham]

His beaning was plain as day. Just as plain as the day he called me. Sarah, I know this is difficult to understand. I don't claim to understand it at all either. But I sense this is a call I must answer. A trial I must endure.

[Sarah]

A trial that would end in execution. The death of the very promise upon which our entire lives, our entire legacy stands.

[Abraham]

I cannot believe I'm saying this aloud, but yes.

[Sarah]

You would murder our son?

[Abraham]

I will do what our God asks of me.

[Sarah]

Even this. You'll look him in the eye and drive a blade into his throat like an animal. Abraham, listen to yourself. We left the gods of Ur long ago. They were the ones who required sacrifices like this.

[Abraham]

Perhaps there's something more to the plan that we do not see. It has yet to be revealed. But I must obey. We must have faith.

[Sarah]

You are going to do this thing. I see the determination in your eyes, the single mindedness of your heart. You know this act would devastate you, but you agree anyway. You know it would kill me as well. But still you come to tell me you didn't hide it or sneak around me. But nor are you asking me or seeking my counsel, knowing full well. I would beg you not to go, not to do this terrible thing. But yet there you stand, resolved, unmoved.

[Abraham]

I do not know.

[Narrator]

How I will.

[Abraham]

Live with myself or what the future holds. But I must be obedient to the call of today.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abraham saw devastation in his wife's eyes. He could see a great war of faith and understanding raging within. Abraham sensed that this was as much a test of her faith as it was one of his.

[Sarah]

If you commit this act, I cannot accept you. If you go to the mountain and sacrifice our son, it will cost you your wife. Are you willing to risk the hate of your family for your God?

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abraham considered the weight of her words. He could see his own consideration mirrored in her. He could see her thoughts as if they were his own. How much was Abraham's faith worth to him? What was he willing to sacrifice to demonstrate his trust in his God? He knew that his answer to both was of great consequence. More than consequence. Utterly imperative.

[Narrator]

I am.

[Abraham]

I trust that our God will provide and hold true to his promise to us. I would ask you to place your trust in our God as well. It is with a humble heart I ask it all, for I know it is you alone who can decide how to place your trust.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Sarah inclined her head in answer. When she lifted her head, he saw tears fill her eyes. And they stood like that for some time. Eye to eye, heart to heart. But she did not beg him. She did not ask him to not go and complete the task that had been given to him. She turned her back to him. Abraham watched her shoulders quiver. He stepped forward to comfort her, but didn't. His embrace would only add to the confusion and sorrow. Abraham rose early the next morning and prepared for the journey. He arranged for two young servants to accompany them to set and break camp and prepare meals. He split wood for the offering and packed it on the donkeys, remembering the sparse terrain around Moriah. Isaac met him with an expectant smile at dawn, just as he had told him.

[Narrator]

Good morning, Father.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

I'm ready for our journey.

[Abraham]

Good morning, my son. Come help me with the last of this wood.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abraham watched Isaac's arms load the wood. They were thin but tight and showing signs of growth from childhood to adolescence. Abraham's chest tightened at the thought that Isaac may not live to become a man. Abraham and the three set out for the land of Moriah. On the third day, Abraham recognized the terrain. They neared the city of Salem where he had once met the mysterious King Melchizedek. Much had changed since that meeting. As they approached a hilltop, Abraham felt a stirring, a confirmation. This was the place, Dedan Camuel.

[Abraham]

This is the place where my son and I will depart from you. I will take the boy to worship on that mount. Then we'll come back to you. Stay with the donkeys and prepare the camp.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abraham unstrapped the wood from the back of one of the donkeys.

[Abraham]

Isaac, I will have you carry this wood for our offering. It's too heavy for me to carry.

[Narrator]

Up to the mount.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Of course, Father.

[Narrator]

Lay it on my back.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abraham took the leather straps from the donkey and fastened a makeshift pack from the same donkey's pack. Abraham's stomach tightened as he brought out some spare rope and his hunting knife. He felt sick as he gripped the worn handle and stared at the sharp, jagged edges of the blade. His fingers remembered the grip and the strength required to pierce flesh. His body remembered the violence wrought by this knife, but absent were the war cries and bloodlust of battle. His young son stood demurely before him, waiting for him to take his lead up the mount to their destination. Hands shaking, Abraham stowed the blade in the folds of his robe. He couldn't bear to look at it and be reminded of the the task slated for it a moment longer. With his other hand, he fumbled for the flint buried in the pack on the still waiting donkey. Isaac doubled back, deftly found the flint, and handed it to his father. His face was the picture of patience and expectance. Abraham's heart throbbed. He knew his son loved him more than anything and would do anything he asked for them. Abraham shoved that thought aside and gave him a tight smile before taking the lead. And so they began their ascent. The Killer and the Innocent Tired of.

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[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Father and son hiked in tense silence, traversing the rocky goat path cut into the hill. Father lost in his thoughts and son sensing his distress. Abraham did not trust himself to speak on their climb. Instead, he focused on placing one foot before the other, each step taking him closer to a moment that would surely alter the course of his life and legacy forever. Isaac could see they were nearing the top and began looking around.

[Sarah]

Father.

[Abraham]

Here I am, my son.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abraham could not help but recognize that he had given the same answer to his God only four days prior. Here I am. He had even uttered something similar to his wife. He found that if he thought too far ahead to the task at hand, he would become overwhelmed. But he was here. He knew who he was and what he was called to do. He would not be overtaken with fear.

[Narrator]

I'm carrying the wood, and you have what you need for the fire.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

But where's the lamb for the burnt offering Abraham swallowed? He found he could not bring himself to tell Isaac the truth about what or who would serve as the sacrifice for the burnt offering. Not yet.

[Abraham]

Don't fear, Isaac.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abraham again paused, summoning his own strength, and encouraged his son with words meant for himself as well as Isaac.

[Abraham]

Our God will provide the the lamb for the burnt offering.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Isaac accepted his father's words without question. Isaac was a simple soul, trusting and unyielding in optimism. His mind was untainted by the deep, gnawing Questions that plagued the more intelligent men. Abraham adored his son more than life itself. He would gladly lay himself at the altar if it meant his son would live. But God had not asked for the father. He asked for the son. They approached the summit of the hill. The charcoal clouds above them were thick and unruly. Abraham secretly hoped lightning would switch strike him down before he had a chance to complete his task. Abraham identified the place that served as their altar. They placed stones in an oval shape. Building the fire ring, Isaac laid the wood for the pyre, then faced his father expectantly. Abraham toyed with the rope, his other hand gripping the knife.

[Abraham]

My son, I. I must ask something of you.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Whatever you ask of me, Father, I'll do. Abraham's heart strained at the words, at his son's face, so eager to please, so eager to do whatever he could to ease his father's clear discomfort.

[Abraham]

Lay down across the wood.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Isaac blinked at the command. Abraham saw confusion flash across his face, but he quickly mastered it into determination. Isaac obeyed.

[Abraham]

Now hold your feet and hands steady. I'm going to fasten the ropes.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Again, confusion mixed with alarm made their appearance on Isaac's face, but he held out his arms and legs to be secured. Abraham stood back from the scene of his son, held in bondage and tied to the wood that would serve as their altar. His arms were outstretched and his head slumped uncomfortably to one side. Though he was almost fully grown, he looked small and vulnerable, looking up at his father.

[Narrator]

What now, Father?

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abraham was astonished at his son's submission, his willingness to trust completely. In the words of his father, the boy he loved so much had come to love his God and was willing to follow the faith of his father even unto death. Onto the wood. The wood he had unwittingly and unknowingly carried. The notion gave him the courage he needed to advance on Isaac and draw his knife. Upon seeing the knife, terror flooded Isaac's face. He gaped up at Abraham, standing above him. He pulled on his restraints, fear and instinct taking over.

[Narrator]

Father, what are you doing?

[Abraham]

What I must.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

The sound of fear and betrayal in his son's voice was visceral and gut wrenching. It unlocked a torment in Abraham's soul he had never imagined was possible. But he had come this far. Thunder rolled in the distance, and the winds began to churn violently. Abraham dug deep within himself, desperately drawing out enough grit and determination to lift the blade. There was no turning back, no faltering. Lightning struck a mere mile away, illuminating the horror on Isaac's face. Abraham squeezed his eyes shut Unable to bear the sight of his son's death. Terror. The thunder clapped again, and a chilled wind bit at Abraham's face. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he slowly, painfully lifted the blade high above his head. Legacy. Destiny. Dreams. The future. Isaac represented all those things. With one fell swoop of his blade, he would end it all, sacrifice it all for his God. Abraham poised to strike and shouted to the heavens. His voice billowed against the wind. He threw his hips back, cocked his arm, and began his descent into sorrow.

[Narrator]

Abraham. Abraham.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

The voice clapped alongside the thunder. Abraham dropped the blade immediately. It fell to the ground with a clatter on the stones. Abraham shook uncontrollably. Here I am.

[Abraham]

Here. Here I am.

[Narrator]

Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear your God, since you have not withheld your only son from.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abraham's eyes snapped open at that, and his eyes met Isaac's. He reached for his boy's face with trembling hands and kissed him. Isaac recoiled at first to his father's touch, but then relaxed himself. Relief flooded Abraham, and he quickly picked up his blade and cut his son's bonds. Isaac sat up slowly, without saying a word, and rubbed his wrists. His eyes were wide with shock. Isaac had heard the voice as well. Abraham sank to his knees, utterly spent and sobbing. The voice of his God had faded, and Abraham began to hear the noises of the sparse wilderness begin to return. His senses narrowed in on a faint rustling that was coming over the ridge. He gathered his remaining strength, stood, and took up his knife. As he approached the still, bewildered Isaac stayed where he was on the logs and watched his father. Abraham palmed the handle of the knife as he neared the edge of the hilltop. A ram was struggling to free itself from the dense thicket of shrubs. Its great horns were tangled in the gnarled branches. Fixing it in place, Abraham nearly cried out in jubilation. This was not quite the lamb his son had inquired about, but this substitution would do. Abraham swiftly made the kill, grabbing the ram by the back of the foot to steady it to slit its throat. He called Isaac down to where the ram now lay dead, and the two of them carried it to the altar, lit a fire, and offered it to their God. Abraham ran a sooty and bloodied hand over his face as he could no longer contain the tears of relief that now freely flowed from his eyes. He pulled an equally relieved Isaac into his arms and embraced him, crying all the harder. The scene around them stilled for a second time, and again they heard the word of their God in their midst.

[Narrator]

By myself I have sworn, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son, I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abraham drew Isaac close again as he listened to the familiar words of his calling. His God was satisfied with him. He had passed this harrowing test, and now the promise was again being confirmed. But then the voice of God added to the familiar proclamation, your offspring will.

[Narrator]

Possess the city gates of their enemies.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

Abraham wondered at that. They were no conquerors and they were not city dwellers, and all the nations.

[Narrator]

Of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed my command.

[Narrator (Abraham's perspective)]

With that, the voice again fell silent and the world around them resumed. Abraham and Isaac exchanged very few words as they watched the flames around the charred body of the ram begin to dwindle and die out. When the fire had at last consumed the sacrifice and had no more fuel to sustain it, they turned from the place and headed down the mount to the camp below. Abraham knew his son would have questions about this strange and mighty legacy he was to inherit, but that would come later. They enjoyed one another's company in amiable, if not exhausted silence. The topic remained untouched until days later when they returned to camp and found an overjoyed and wildly relieved Sarah. She cried at the sight of them, bloodied and covered in soot and dust from the travel and the ordinary Abraham held his family close, faith confirmed, tested and approved, and began to teach his precious son Isaac all the ways of his God. This Pray Dog. Com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Catena, Max Bard, Zach Schellewaga and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of the Chosen People. Narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Jr. Rosanna Pilcher and Mitch Leschinsky Music by Andrew Morgan Smith Written by Aaron Salvato, Bree Rosalie and Chris Baig. You can hear more prey.com productions on the prey.com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed the Chosen People, please rate and leave a review.

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