would do as the Lord directed him):

"That the True King, Guardian of mankind, will 2895
himself provide, as it seemeth to him meet."

Then with unfaltering purpose he ascended the steep
dune, with his son, as the Eternal had bidden him, until
he stood on the crest of the high land, on the [spot][41]
which the mighty, faithful Lord had shown him in his 2900
words. Forthwith he began to build the funeral-pyre
and kindle the fire, and he bound his son hand and foot,
and then laid young Isaac on the pile, and then straight-
way grasped the sword by the hilt: he was resolved to 2905
kill his son with his own hands and allay the flames with
his child's blood.

At that moment a minister of God, one of the angels,
called Abraham from above, with a loud voice. Motion-
less he answered the angel and awaited the herald's 2910
speech. To him then forthwith God's glorious spirit-
messenger spoke from above, out of heaven, in these
words:

"Beloved Abraham! Do not slay thine own son, but
take the boy alive from the pile, thy child. The God 2915
of Glory has spared him. Prince of the Ebrews, through
the holy hand of the King of Heaven thou shalt thyself
receive recompense and true rewards of victory, ample
gifts: the Keeper of Spirits will enrich thee with blessings, 2920
because his peace and favor were dearer to thee than
thine own child."

The pyre stood there blazing. The Lord of mankind
had made joyful the breast of Abraham, kinsman of
Loth, when he gave him back his son, Isaac, alive. Then 2925
the holy hero looked about over his shoulder, and there
not far from him the brother of Aron beheld a ram
standing alone, caught fast in the thorn-bushes. Abra-
ham took this and laid it on the pyre with great zeal, 2930
in place of his own son, brandished the sword, and dec-
orated the burnt-offering, the smoking altar, with the
blood of the ram, offered that oblation to God, [and fin-
ally] gave thanks for these blessings and for all those[42]
mercies which, late and early, the Lord had bestowed 3935
upon him....[43]

NOTES

[Footnote 1: Thorpe's translation of the _Genesis_, published with his
edition, in 1828, was not accessible to the present writer and
presumably will not be accessible to the general public, so that on the
mere score of availability it seems high time for the appeara