Abraham, offering a prayer of thanksgiving to God, counted his blessings—his land, his peaceful life, his children—and told
of his delight in his favorite child, Isaac. He stood praying in a field near his home in Beersheba. After the prayer, he called to Isaac to return to their home.
God, in Heaven, summoned an angel and told him that he intended to test Abraham’s steadfastness by asking him to
sacrifice Isaac, and he ordered the angel to announce his wish to Abraham. Meanwhile, Abraham prayed again, asking God what gift or offering might please him most. The angel then appeared and told Abraham that God had commanded the sacrifice of Isaac as an indication of Abraham’s love for the Lord. Abraham immediately experienced great inward conflict. He kept repeating that Isaac was the most loved of all his children, that he would rather sacrifice anything else of his, including his own life, than to offer up Isaac. At the same time, he was aware that God’s will must be obeyed and that the sacrifice, no matter how painful, must be made. Abraham then called Isaac, who had been praying, and told him that they must perform a sacrifice for the Lord. Isaac declared his willingness to help. Abraham felt his heart breaking as they walked toward Mount Vision to make the sacrifice.
On their arrival at the mountain, Isaac asked why Abraham seemed so concerned. The boy began to quake at the sight of the sharp sword in his
father’s hand because, aware of his father’s acute misery, he guessed that he was to be the offering in the sacrifice to the Lord. Abraham then tried to explain to Isaac that they must follow God’s commandment, having no other choice. Isaac prayed to his father, asking him to spare his life and wishing his mother were there to intercede for him. Isaac also wondered what crimes he had committed that his life should be demanded by God. Abraham, in his misery, explained that God’s will must simply be obeyed. At last, Isaac understood and yielded to God’s will. He asked, however, that Abraham not tell his mother he had been killed. Instead, she was to believe that he had gone into another land.
Resigning himself to death, Isaac asked for his father’s blessing. Abraham gave his blessing, lamented further, and proceeded to bind Isaac’s hands. Abraham then repeated his hope that he could be sacrificed in Isaac’s place, but the brave Isaac reminded him that God must be obeyed and asked that the killing be done quickly. Abraham covered Isaac’s face with a cloth and made ready to lift his sword. Just as Abraham was about to strike Isaac, the angel appeared and took the sword from Abraham’s upraised hand. The angel said that Abraham had proved his willingness to obey God’s command, an act that fully displayed Abraham’s mind and heart. Therefore, the angel continued, Abraham would not be compelled to sacrifice his son, but might substitute a young ram, tied nearby, for the offering. Abraham was overjoyed and, after the angel’s departure, gave thanks to God for Isaac’s deliverance. Isaac welcomed his reprieve, but only after Abraham had assured him that God would regard the ram as a worthy substitute. Isaac, at his father’s bidding, ran to bring the ram. Returning with it, Isaac expressed his happiness that the beast, rather than he, was to be sacrificed. When Abraham offered up the ram, Isaac still showed a great fear of Abraham’s sword and did not wish to look at it.
After the sacrifice, God again spoke to Abraham, acknowledging his goodness and promising that his family would multiply. Abraham then returned with Isaac to their home, recounting on the way his pleasure that his favorite child had been spared. Isaac was also grateful, but he mentioned his fear and stated that he never wanted to see the hill again. Abraham and Isaac thanked God and showed great relief to be returning home together. Abraham praised the gentleness and understanding of his young son.
The play’s commentator, the Doctor, then appeared on the scene to make explicit the moral of the story: that one should follow God’s commandments without quarreling. The Doctor asked how many in the audience would be willing to smite their children if God so commanded. He thought that several might do so, although the children’s mothers would wail and protest. The Doctor then said that God would mend everything for those truly willing to follow his commandments—those who served God faithfully would be certain to benefit from their loyalty.