The voice came again. Twice it called his name: "Abraham, Abraham!"
"Here I am."
"It is I. Fear not, for I am before the worlds, a mighty God who has created the light of the world. I am a shield over you and I am your helper."
Then came the command, an echo of a scene already written in the scroll of fate (Genesis 15:9): "Take for me a young heifer of three years old, a she-goat of three years old, a ram of three years old, a turtledove, and a pigeon. Bring me a pure sacrifice."
But this was no ordinary offering. God made a promise that turned the sacrifice into something far greater than blood and smoke.
"In this sacrifice I will lay before you the ages to come and make known to you what is reserved. You shall see great things which you have not seen, because you have loved to search me out, and I have named you my Friend."
Abraham, the idol-smasher from Ur, had been promoted. God called him "Friend," the same title later echoed in the prophets (Isaiah 41:8).
But there were conditions. "Abstain from every form of food cooked by fire, from wine, and from anointing yourself with oil for forty days. Then set forth the sacrifice in the place I will show you, on a high mountain."
Forty days of fasting. Then revelation. God promised to show Abraham the ages that had been created and established by His Word, and to reveal what would come to pass for those who practiced evil and those who practiced righteousness among all the generations of humanity.
The covenant of (Genesis 15:1) was about to become a journey to the throne of heaven itself.
Then a voice came to me speaking twice: “Abraham, Abraham!” And I said: “Here
am I!” And He said: “Behold, 1it is I1; fear not,2 for I am before the worlds, 3 and a mighty God
who hath created 4the light of the world.4 I am a shield over thee,2 and I am thy helper. Go, take
me a young heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old,
and a turtledove and a pigeon,5 and bring me a pure sacrifice. And in this sacrifice I will lay before
thee the ages (to come), and make known to thee what is reserved, and thou shalt see great
things which thou hast not seen (hitherto);6 because thou hast loved to search me out, and
I have named thee my Friend.7 But abstain 8 from every form of food that proceedeth out of
the fire, and from the drinking of wine, and from anointing (thyself) with oil, forty days,”9 and
then set forth for me the sacrifice which I have commanded thee, in the place which I will shew
thee, on a high mountain,10 and there I will shew thee the ages which have been created and
established, 11made and renewed,11 by my Word,12 and13 I will make known to thee what
K, I am with thee.
Cf. Gen. xv. 1.
Or ages (“æons”).
A, the first light: K, in the beginning heaven and earth and the n t he f ir s t l uminary of light and of the world
(cf. Gen. i. 1 f.). The reference is apparently to the created (not the uncreated) light. For the latter cf.
note on chap. xvii.
Cf. Gen. xv. 9.
The r ev el at i on m ade to Abraham which is described in Gen. xv. 9 f. early became a favourite theme
for apocalyptic speculation, and an intimation was discovered in the p as s age of Israel’s later captivity and
subjection to the four oppressive w o rld-powers of the Book of Daniel (see the Targums ad loc.). This
apocalypti c e x p e r i e n c e o f Abraham is referred to in 4 Ezra iii. 14 (and unto him [Abraham] only didst thou
reveal the end of the times s e cr et ly b y n ight). Accordin g to the Ap. Bar. iv. 4 the heavenly Jerusalem was
shown to Abraham “by nigh t among the portions of the victims.”
O r “ lo v er .” Abraham, as God’s chosen friend (or “lover of God,” cf. 2 Chron. xx. 7, Is. xli. 8, E p .
James ii. 23) can receive special revelation; for the juxtaposition of the two ideas cf. 4 Ezra iii. 14.
Or refrain thyself. By every form of food that proceedeth out of the fire, flesh-meat is no doubt m eant.
Fasting as a preparat i on for the reception of a divine revelation was much practised by the
apocalyptists. In 4 Ez r a f o u r f as t s o f seven days followed in each case by a divine revelation are referred
to. Here, it is to be noted, the period is one of forty days. For th e ter m s h er e used cf. 4 Ezra ix. 24.
Anointing the body (especially the face) with oil was a mark of joy used in connexi on wit h feasting (cf.
Eccles. ix. 8, Ps. xxiii. 5, Amos vi. 6), and omitted in mourn in g as a sign of grief (cf. 2 Sam. xiv. 2, Dan.
x. 3).
Cf. Gen. xxii. 2.
A omits.
The “Word” of God here has a quasi-person a l significance; cf. 4 Ezra vi. 38 (“and thy Word, O
Lord, perfected the work”), 43, etc.
and omitted by A.
shall come to pass in them on those who have done evil and (practised) righteousness in the
generation of men.
Abraham, under the Direction of the Angel Jaoel, proceeds to Mount
Horeb, a Journey of Forty Days, to offer the Sacrifice (Chapters X.-XII.).
