Isaac
The son of Abraham and Sara. The incidents of his life are told in
Genesis 15-35, in a narrative the principal parts of which are
traced back by many scholars to three several documents (J, E, P)
utilized in the composition of the Book of Genesis (see ABRAHAM).
According to Genesis 17:17; 18:12; 21:6, his name means: "he
laughs". He was circumcised eight days after his birth, weaned in
due time, and proclaimed the sole legal ancestor of the chosen
people (21:1-12). His early years were spent in Bersabee, whence
he was taken by his father to Mount Moria to be offered up in
sacrifice, and whither he returned after his life had been
miraculously spared (21:33; 22:19). His mother died when he was
thirty-six years of age (cf. Genesis 17:17; 23:1). A few years
later, he married Rebecca, Bathuel's daughter, whom one of his
father's servants had, according to Abraham's directions, brought
from Mesopotamia (24). The union took place in "the south
country", where Isaac then lived, and continued to live after he
had joined with Ismael in committing the body of Abraham to burial
in the cave of Machpelah (24:62, 67; 25:7-11). Many years elapsed
before Isaac's longing entreaty to God for children was actually
heard. Of the twins to whom she then gave birth, Esau was beloved
by Isaac, while Jacob was Rebecca's favourite (25:21-28). Drought
and famine made it necessary for Isaac to take the road down to
Egypt, but, at Yahweh's bidding, he stopped on his way thither and
sojourned in Gerara, where an incident similar to that of
Abraham's disavowal of Sara is recorded of him (26:1-11). We are
told next how, through envy of Isaac's prosperity as a husbandman
and a herdsman, the Philistines among whom he dwelt began petty
persecutions, which the Hebrew patriarch bore patiently, but on
account of which he finally withdrew to Bersabee. There he was
favoured with a new vision from Yahweh, and entered a solemn
covenant with Abimelech, King of Gerara (26:12-33). During the
last years of Isaac's career, there occurred the well-known
incident of his conferring upon Jacob the Divine blessing, which
he had always intended for Esau (27), followed by Isaac's concern
to protect Jacob from his brother's resentment and to secure for
him a wife from his mother's kindred in Mesopotamia (28:1-5).
After Jacob's return, Isaac died at the age of one hundred and
eighty, and was buried by his sons in the cave of Machpelah
(35:27-29; 49:31).
As delineated in Genesis, the figure of Isaac is much less
striking than that of Abraham, his father. Yet, by his manner of
life, always quiet, gentle, guileless, faithful to God's guidance,
he ever was the worthy heir and transmitter of the glorious
promises made to Abraham. He was pre-eminently a man of peace, the
fitting type of the Prince of Peace, whose great sacrifice on
Mount Calvary was foreshadowed by Isaac's obedience unto death on
Mount Moria.
The New Testament contains few, but significant references to
Isaac (cf. Matthew 8:11; Luke 12:28; 20:37; Romans 9:7; Galatians
4:28; Hebrews 11:17 sqq.; James 2:21).
The legends and various details concerning Isaac which are found
in the Talmud and in Rabbinical writings are of no historical
value.
FRANCIS E. GIGOT
Transcribed by Sean Hyland
From the Catholic Encyclopedia, copyright � 1913 by the
Encyclopedia Press, Inc. Electronic version copyright � 1996 by
New Advent, Inc.
Taken from the New Advent Web Page (www.knight.org/advent).
This article is part of the Catholic Encyclopedia Project, an
effort aimed at placing the entire Catholic Encyclopedia 1913
edition on the World Wide Web. The coordinator is Kevin Knight,
editor of the New Advent Catholic Website. If you would like to
contribute to this worthwhile project, you can contact him by e-
mail at (knight.org/advent). For more information please download
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