Abraham’s Sacrifice. 79

 

servants to stay below with the ass, while he
and his son went up the mountain to make
their offering ; and he took the wood he had
prepared, and gave it to Isaac to carry, and
he himself took fire in something like a lamp,
and a knife.

“Tsaac understood quite well that there
were preparations for offering a sacrifice, but
he could not think what his father was going
to offer, and as they went away together he
said to Abraham—

“<«My father !’

“And Abraham answered—

“« Flere am I, my son.’

“And Isaac went on—

“*« Behold the fire and the wood, but where
is the lamb for a burnt-offering ?’

“Still Abraham would not tell him the
dreadful thing that was to be done, and he
only said—

“« My son, God will provide Himself a lamb
for a burnt-offering.’

“ And so they went on and on till they had
climbed all up the mountain, and then they
made an altar, and put the wood in its place
upon it; and then there was no help for it—
Abraham was obliged to tell Isaac all. We
are not told what Isaac said—whether he had