Genesis 22:7
Isaac said to his father: My father. And he answered: What wilt thou, son? Behold, saith he, fire and wood: where is the victim for the holocaust?
Open Genesis 22:7 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →In the palace
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- dixit Isaac patri suo : Pater mi. At ille respondit : Quid vis, fili ? Ecce, inquit, ignis et ligna : ubi est victima holocausti ?
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ εἶπεν Ἰσαὰκ πρὸς Ἀβραὰμ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ εἴπας Πάτερ· ὁ δὲ εἶπεν Τί ἐστιν, τέκνον; λέγων Ἰδού τὸ πῦρ καὶ τὰ ξύλα· ποῦ ἔστιν τὸ πρόβατον τὸ εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν;
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יִצְחָ֜ק אֶל אַבְרָהָ֤ם אָבִיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אָבִ֔י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֶּ֣נִּֽי בְנִ֑י וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּ֤ה הָאֵשׁ֙ וְהָ֣עֵצִ֔ים וְאַיֵּ֥ה הַשֶּׂ֖ה לְעֹלָֽה
Haydock's commentary
Holocaust. These were probably the only sacrifices yet in use. (Calmet)
The conversation of Isaac could not fail to pierce the heart of his father. (Menochius)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
Tertullian An Answer to the Jews, Argument from the Destruction of Jerusalem and Desolation of Judea
This “wood,” again, Isaac the son of Abraham personally carried for his own sacrifice, when God had enjoined that he should be made a victim to Himself. But, because these had been mysteries which were being kept for perfect fulfilment in the times of Christ, Isaac, on the one hand, with his “wood,” was reserved, the ram being of fered which was caught by the horns in the bramble; Christ, on the other hand, in His times, carried His “wood” on His own shoulders, adhering to the horns of the cross, with a thorny crown encircling His head. …
St Clement of Rome The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, Chapter XXXI
Let us cleave then to His blessing, and consider what are the means of possessing it. Let us think over the things which have taken place from the beginning. For what reason was our father Abraham blessed? Was it not because he wrought righteousness and truth through faith? Isaac, with perfect confidence, as if knowing what was to happen, cheerfully yielded himself as a sacrifice. Jacob, through reason of his brother, went forth with humility from his own land, and came to Laban and served him; and there was given to him the sceptre of the twelve tribes of Israel.
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, 1 Timothy 5.8
Why takest thou so many witnesses? Let not thy servant know it, nor, if possible, thy wife. Many are the impediments of the deceitful one. Often she who never before interfered, will impede such works, either from vainglory, or some other motive. Even Abraham, who had an admirable wife, when he was about to offer up his son, concealed it from her, though he knew not what was to happen, but was fully persuaded that he must slaughter his son. What then, would any one that was but an ordinary man have said? Would it not be, “Who is this that perpetrates such acts?” Would he not have accused him of cruelty and brutality? His wife was not even allowed to see her son, to receive his last words, to witness his dying struggles. But he led him away like a captive. …