ISAAC, Hebrew patriarch, son of Abraham and Sarah. The name in its Hebrew original denotes qaughter," because when the promise of a child was made to him the year previ ously, Abraham had laughed. He was 100 years old at the child's birth, and Sarah, who had been childless, was 90, and had also laughed in her incredulity, as standing at the tent's door, she had heard the angel repeat the promise (Gen. xvii 17). His initiation into the cove nant when eight days old was one of the many incidents in Isaac's life which the Bible men tions and which gave him a national import ance to which his nomadic pastoral life and quiet character would not perhaps entitle him. The dismissal of Hagar's son, whom Sarah had seen mocking Isaac, the offering of Isaac as a sacrifice (Gen. xxii) which was providentially averted, being only a test of faith and obedi ence; his marriage to Rebekah, the Aramean in his 40th year, the birth of the twins Esau and Jacob after 20 years, their opposite traits, later to develop into strife, Isaac's dream and God's promise to him of future enlargement,— are all portrayed at length in Scripture. Then comes the story of his old age, which was less happy than might have been expected from one of his temperament and qualities. Blindness added to the weakness of years, while the open enmity between his two sons increased his anxieties. How in anticipation of his own death he bade Esau bringhim some venison to receive J his blessing, how Jacob urged by Rebekah who had heard Isaac's request, appeared as Esau be fore the blind father to receive the blessing promised to his brother, how Esau learned of Jacob's action and how Jacob had to flee from Esau's wrath—are episodes that have become °twice told tales" and preserve after thousands of years their dramatic interest, while for the pulpit of all creeds they retain their power. At
the age of 180 Isaac died at Hebron,, cheered by the return of Jacob and his family from Mesopotamia, and was buried by both of his sons in the cave of Machpelah beside Abraham and Sarah.
The early rabbis in the Midrash make fre quent reference to Isaac. His name is made a compound of two Hebrew words denoting ((Law was issued? In the Hebrew letters of his name allusion is found to the ten words (deca logue), and the respective ages of Sarah and Abraham at his birth. To silence evil tongues on the occasion of Isaac's weaning, Abraham's features were imprinted on his face, so that the likeness between father and son was very great. Tice sacrifice of Isaac furnishes a fertile fiele for Midrashic reflection and becomes a special feature of the Jewish liturgy. Isaac is stated to have instituted the traditional afternoon prayer and to have had extraordinary attributes. In Mohammenden legend, Ishmael appears sub stituted for Isaac as offering and other points of similarity with the rabbinical Midrash are to be observed.