Reumah's Four Sons and Abraham's Worry After the Akedah

"And his concubine, whose name was Reumah" (Genesis 22:24). Just as the sons of the concubines are four, so too the sons of the maidservants are four. Tebah — that the Holy One, blessed be He, slaughtered them. Gaham — that He comforted them out of the world. Tahash — that He hastened them. Maacah — that He crushed them, so that they were neither nations nor families, for He destroyed them from the world. Another interpretation: "After these things" (Genesis 22:20). There were musings of words there. And who mused? Abraham mused, saying: Had Isaac died on Mount Moriah, he would have died without children; but now a miracle has been done for him. I shall marry him to the daughters of Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre, who are righteous women — and what do I care about lineage? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You have no need, for his mate has been born, as it is said, "Behold, Milcah also has borne" (Genesis 22:20). What is "she also"? Just as this one is the son of a noblewoman, so she too is the daughter of a noblewoman. Another interpretation: He feared the sufferings. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Do not fear, there is one who will receive them — "Uz his firstborn" (Genesis 22:21), and it is written elsewhere, "There was a man in the land of Uz" (Job 1:1).