¹¹ And this was a great grief to Abraham because of his son.

¹⁸ And Abraham said to God, If only Ishmael's life might be your care!

¹¹ At the time all punishment seems to be pain and not joy: but after, those who have been trained by it get from it the peace-giving fruit of righteousness.

¹ Now after these things, God put Abraham to the test, and said to him, Abraham; and he said, Here am I.

² And he said to him, Take your son, your dearly loved only son Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah and give him as a burned offering on one of the mountains of which I will give you knowledge.

³³ Then the king was much moved, and went up into the room over the door, weeping, and saying, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! if only my life might have been given for yours, O Absalom, my son, my son!

³⁷ He who has more love for his father or mother than for me is not good enough for me; he who has more love for son or daughter than for me is not good enough for me.