Texts in Conversation
Genesis 22 describes the test of Abraham with God saying, “now I know,” after Abraham demonstrates his willingness to sacrifice Isaac, suggesting that God learned this during the test. Judges 17 uses the same language when Micah declares that God will favor him, reflecting the same sense of discovery.
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Genesis 22:12
Hebrew Bible
11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. 12 “Do not harm the boy!” the angel said. “Do not do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.” 13 Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
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Judges 17:13
Hebrew Bible
10 Micah said to him, “Stay with me. Become my adviser and priest. I will give you 10 pieces of silver per year, plus clothes and food.” 11 So the Levite agreed to stay with the man; the young man was like a son to Micah. 12 Micah paid the Levite; the young man became his priest and lived in Micah’s house. 13 Micah said, “Now I know the Lord will make me rich because I have this Levite as my priest.”
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... though the narrator is not explicit with the reason for the test, he/she may have indicated the problem through Abraham’s casual response. Since Abraham obeys the divine command, to the point of slaughtering Isaac, the messenger of God calls out from heaven, “Abraham! (Slight pause) Abraham!” When the messenger calls out his name twice, Abraham responds, “Yes.” The messenger of YHWH now knows that Abraham feared God. The expression, “Now I know” (עתה ידעתי), occurs in two other places in Exodus 18:11 and Psalm 20:6 ... the expression also occurs in Judges 17:13 which actually demonstrate the perversion of Micah’s assurance ..."
Joo, Samantha
"Abraham! Abraham!": Re-Analysis of Gen. 22:11
(pp. 66-79) Korea Presbyterian Journal of Theology, Vol. 42, 2011
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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