In Jewish tradition, is it true that Isaac was 40 years old when Abraham went to sacrifice him?

Question

I know Abraham was a very holy man but Isaac, why would he believe God wanted a human sacrifice?

Answer 1

Almost- according to the Midrash he was thirty seven years old and had just returned from studying in Shem v'Ever. The Akeidah was as much as Isaac's test as Abraham's.

And lets clear some misconceptions- the oldest son froma LEGITIMATE wife inherits. Hagar was a maidservant, not a wife thus Ishmael was not the heir, Isaac was. Ishmael himself acknowledged this- we see when Abraham dies it refers to Isaac and Ishmael giving honour to Abraham, but Isaac is listed first as heir, with Ishmael taking second place.

On top that- the two servants that Abraham took with them were Eleazar (the servant that goes to find Isaac a wife) and Ishmael. And this has been the Jewish understanding since centuries before Islam was ever thought of. It can be found in the commentaries of Onkelos which predate Christianity, as well as in various Midrashim and the Talmud- all of which predate ISlam.

Answer 2

I'm not sure, I've heard that though.
Gen 22:1-13. And also the story about it in the My Book Of Bible Stories published by Jehovah's Wintesses. it's a child book but it works for me and has great illustrational pictures.

Story 14

God Tests Abraham’s Faith

CAN you see what Abraham is doing here? He has a knife, and it looks as if he is going to kill his son. Why would he ever do that? First, let’s see how Abraham and Sarah got their son.

Remember, God promised them that they would have a son. But that seemed impossible, because Abraham and Sarah were so old. Abraham, however, believed that God could do what seemed impossible. So what happened?

After God made his promise, a whole year passed. Then, when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old, they had a baby boy named Isaac. God had kept his promise!

But when Isaac had grown older, Jehovah tested Abraham’s faith. He called: ‘Abraham!’ And Abraham answered: ‘Here I am!’ Then God said: ‘Take your son, your only son, Isaac, and go to a mountain that I will show you. There kill your son and offer him up as a sacrifice.’

How sad those words made Abraham, because Abraham loved his son very much. And remember, God had promised that Abraham’s children would live in the land of Ca′naan. But how could that happen if Isaac were dead? Abraham did not understand, but still he obeyed God.

When he got to the mountain, Abraham tied up Isaac and put him on the altar that he built. Then he took out the knife to kill his son. But just at that moment God’s angel called: ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And Abraham answered: ‘Here I am!’

‘Don’t hurt the boy or do anything to him,’ God said. ‘Now I know that you have faith in me, because you have not held back your son, your only one, from me.’

What great faith Abraham had in God! He believed that nothing was impossible for Jehovah, and that Jehovah could even raise Isaac from the dead. But it was not really God’s will for Abraham to kill Isaac. So God caused a sheep to get caught in some nearby bushes, and he told Abraham to sacrifice it instead of his son.

Genesis 21:1-7; 22:1-18.
They didn't think God wanted a human sacrifice because he never had before, but they didn't question the Almighty. Issac was a young man but not by any means a child.

Answer 3

He was doing as God told him. We know that the story says that an angel was sent down to stop Abraham from sacrificing his son. As God says that we are not to sacrifice humans.
God was only testing Abraham.
But to answer your question. Isaac was an older man, yes. I'm not sure if he was quite 40 yet, but somewhere in his 30's I believe,

Answer 4

It is not true that Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac.
If it was true then Jews would have been sacrificing animal every year but they don't. It never happend.

God ordered Abraham to sacrifiy his first born son Ishmael in Mecca when Ishmael was 13 yrs old. It was a test of Abraham from God. God accepted his intention to sacrifice Ishmael in obedience to God. God instead sent him a Lamb through Angel Gabriel. That is why Muslim sacrifice an animal next day after Haj ceremoney in Mecca. It is due this year on December 18, 2007.

Answer 5

I am a Christian and not a Muslim. And, I ahve to agree with FIFI. It was not Isaac, it was Ishmael.

In Deuteronomy it says that the First Born son, no matter who the mother is or how the father feels about the first born's mother, is the rightful heir of the father. Again, God is telling Israel that the first born son of a man cannot be denied, no matter how conceived or the relationship between father and mother.

Further, the first Christians were Arabs and Africans - descendants of Ishmael. The family tree of Isaac denied Christ and crucified him. So, I see Jesus being the promise of the covenant was accepted by the Arabs and North Africans in Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Syria and Jordan after the disciples left Jerusalem to spread the Gospel. While, the great-great-great...etc... grand-children of Isaac denied the Messiah.

Answer 6

yes, in Judaism it is recognized that Isaac was grown when the "binding of isaac" story occured.

or in other words, Isaac was fully consenting in the whole thing, not an innocent child like some depict it.

Answer 7

And Abraham was about 100 indeed.

Answer 8

Isaac was 40 years old when he was married. He was just a "lad" when Abraham was tested.

Answer 9

Yes

Answer 10

It was Ishmael and NOT Isaac who was about to be sacrificed. If Isaac was 40years old went he was about to be sacrificed than Abraham would have been 140years old.

I will show you in the Scripture that it was Really Ishmael who was to be sacrificed and the covenant was first done with Ishmael and Ishmael was a legitimate son of Abraham even after Abraham's death.

1. The covenant was first made with Abraham and Ishmael;

Genesis 17:10 This [is] my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

Genesis 17:13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

Note:-

2. It was really Ishmael and not Isaac who was going to be sacrificed and the Jewish scribes because of vanity, switched the names;

Genesis 16:16 "and Abram [is] a son of eighty and six years in Hagar's bearing Ishmael to Abram."

Who's son? Abraham's "son". Now as far as the sacrifice is concerned, Genesis 17:24 "Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin."

That makes Abraham's son Ishmael 13, how old is Isaac at this time? Genesis 21:5 "Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him."

that means during the circumcision/sacrifice, Abraham's only "begotten" son is Ishmael and not Isaac as the Bible says.

KJV Hebrews 11:17 "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,"

Therefore we see that Isaac was not the only son, as a matter of fact, Isaac was not even born yet and Abraham's Only begotten son was Ishmael. Therefore further confirming the Legitimacy of Prophet Muhammad which God says I will make great Nations from Ishmael.

Genesis 17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

3. Ishmael was a legitimate son even after Abraham died;

Genesis 16:3 "And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife."

Genesis 25:9 "Then his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him (Abraham) in *the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre,"

Genesis 25:12 "Now these are the records of the generations of *Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's maid, bore to Abraham;"