THE HOLY BIBLE
TELEPLAY EDITION
Episode 1008
“The Faith of Abraham”
by
George Willson
Based on the novel by God
TEASER
EXT. ABRAHAM’S ENCAMPMENT –
Abraham stands outside his tent watching for
someone in the
distance. Eliezer walks up beside him.
ELIEZER
Well?
ABRAHAM
I
know they sent word to him. He’ll
be here.
ELIEZER
Where
are they?
ABRAHAM
They’ve
left someone next to it
since they found out about it.
ELIEZER
What
do you think he’ll do?
ABRAHAM
He
has witnessed the power of God
and what it has done for me. I can
only pray the truth will prevail.
Abraham spots something.
ABRAHAM
There
he is. Come on.
Abraham runs over to a caravan approaching.
Upon a covered
throne carried by four slaves sits Abimelech,
the King of Gerar.
Leading the procession is PHICOL, the prince
of Abimelech’s
armies. Abraham approaches him.
ABIMELECH
Stop.
Abraham kneels before the king.
ABRAHAM
King
Abimelech, thank you for
coming.
ABIMELECH
Thank
you for welcoming me. How
did you know I was coming?
Abimelech exits the covered throne. Abraham stands.
ABRAHAM
I
thought some men had summoned you
here.
ABIMELECH
No,
I came of my own accord.
ABRAHAM
Then
what brings you here?
ABIMELECH
I
came to speak to you.
ABRAHAM
Oh?
ABIMELECH
Yes.
God is with you in everything
you do. Now swear to me here before
God
that you will not deal falsely
with me or my children or descendants.
Show
to me and the country where
you are living as an alien the same
kindness I have shown to you.
ABRAHAM
I
swear it.
ABIMELECH
Excellent. Now why did you believe
I
was summoned here?
ABRAHAM
It
is on account of that well over
there.
Abraham points to a well near Abraham’s
flocks around which
stand several men.
ABIMELECH
What
of it?
ABRAHAM
As
I have sworn to deal with you
in honesty, I swear to you that
I
dug that well myself. Your
servants claimed it as soon as I
finished it for themselves. Why
have you permitted this trespass
against me and my family? You
told me the land was mine to
choose where I wished to live and
yet you wrong me with this act.
ABIMELECH
As
the Lord lives who created the
whole earth, I don’t know who did
this. You did not tell me, and I
only heard about it today. Take me
to the well.
Abraham and Abimelech
walk to the well where the men are
standing. Realizing who he is, the men kneel to Abimelech.
MEN
1
King
Abimelech, we have sent word
to you with grievances. This man
has stolen our land and our well.
We
have claimed it in your name.
ABIMELECH
Who
do you say dug the well?
MEN
1
We
did, my lord.
Abraham looks at Eliezer.
The pair goes to the flocks nearby and
pull out seven ewe lambs.
ABIMELECH
What
is the meaning of these seven
ewe lambs you have set apart by
themselves?
ABRAHAM
Accept
these seven lambs from my
hand as a witness that I dug this
well.
MEN
1
My
lord, we are your kinsmen.
ABIMELECH
What
do you offer me as your oath
that this well is yours?
MEN
1
We
only have our words and need
nothing else.
ABIMELECH
Abraham
has acted to me with honor
and I believe him. God is with him
and if he swears to me that he dug
this well, then he did it. As for
you, return to your own homes, and
dig your own wells.
One of the men moves like he intends to
attack Abimelech. Phicol
jumps in front of his king.
ABIMELECH
Fail
to obey my commands, and my
prince of armies, Phicol, will
make
short work of your insurrection.
The men give up and turn away. Abimelech turns to Abraham.
ABIMELECH
Abraham,
as you swore to me to deal
with honesty and have sworn to me
concerning this, I declare this
well yours.
ABRAHAM
Thank
you. May the Lord always
bless your kingdom.
The men clasp hands.
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
EXT. ABRAHAM’S ENCAMPMENT – DAY
SUPER: “2052 Anno Mundi”
Ishmael, 19, walks through the camp to his
mother. He carries a
bow and a quiver of arrows. Abraham sees him and smiles.
ABRAHAM
Ishmael,
where are you going?
ISHMAEL
Mother
has asked me to hunt some
food for her. There is some game
near the camp, and I will get her
something for our dinner.
ABRAHAM
Are
you a good shot with that
bow?
ISHMAEL
The
best, father.
ABRAHAM
Show
me.
Abraham follows Ishmael out of the camp to
where a herd of wild
deer graze. Ishmael points out one of the deer.
ISHMAEL
That one.
ABRAHAM
Ok.
Ishmael nocks his arrow. He fires and hits
the deer in the side.
It goes down. The others scatter.
ISHMAEL
See
there?
ABRAHAM
Well
done.
Abraham walks back to the camp as Ishmael
heads out to the deer.
Abraham walks to his tent where Isaac, now 5,
sits and plays.
ISAAC
Hi,
fodder.
ABRAHAM
Hello,
Isaac. Is your mother home?
ISAAC
(nodding)
Uh-huh.
She’s inside.
ABRAHAM
Thank
you.
ISAAC
You’re
welcome.
Abraham enters the tent
INT. ABRAHAM’S TENT - DAY
Sarah works on a torn robe. Abraham sits next
to her.
ABRAHAM
What
are you doing?
SARAH
Just
fixing this robe of mine that
I
tore the other day.
ABRAHAM
What
happened?
SARAH
As
I was entering the tent, it
caught on one of the stakes. I
know the stake was not in the way
earlier that day. Someone is
against me.
ABRAHAM
Who
do you think it is?
SARAH
My servant and her son.
ABRAHAM
Ishmael
is my son, too.
SARAH
He
is not the promised one, Isaac
is. I was wrong to ever suggest
the arrangement. I take it back.
ABRAHAM
You
can’t change the past. And
you can’t suspect someone
without proof. What would you
have me do?
SARAH
Get
rid of her.
ABRAHAM
You
know we can’t do that. It is
against the law to expel a slave
wife and her children.
SARAH
I
don’t care.
Sarah stops for a moment and looks at him.
SARAH
I
admit that I have no proof. But
if I come up with something that
shows their disgust of me, would
you consider it, at least.
Abraham seems very reluctant.
ABRAHAM
At least.
SARAH
Thank
you.
She puts down her robe and stands.
SARAH
I
think I’ll get some water while
I’ve
stopped.
ABRAHAM
Ok.
Sarah exits the tent.
EXT. ABRAHAM’S ENCAMPMENT – DAY
Sarah stops in her tracks. Her hands go over
her mouth and fear
registers in her eyes.
Ishmael and Isaac sit across from each other
on the ground.
Isaac is looking at Ishmael, unmoving.
Ishmael has an arrow
nocked and is pointing at Isaac’s head.
Sarah moves her hands down and tries to call
for Abraham.
SARAH
(soundless)
Abraham.
Abraham.
Ishmael looks over to Sarah, not moving his
bow. He smiles at
her.
ISHMAEL
What
would you do if I shot
him?
Sarah is unable to respond. Hagar walks up
beside her.
HAGAR
What’s
the matter, Sarah? Afraid
you’ll lose your place in the
family if your son dies?
Sarah can’t move.
HAGAR
Ishmael!
Come on!
Ishmael lowers his bow and follows Hagar as
she leaves. Sarah
slowly come to herself and runs over to Isaac. She cradles him
in her arms and cries.
Abraham comes out of the tent. He looks over
to Sarah and is
instantly concerned.
ABRAHAM
What’s
going on?
SARAH
Get
rid of that slave woman and
her son, for that slave woman’s
son will never share in the
inheritance with my son Isaac.
ABRAHAM
How
can you say that?
SARAH
Just
do it!
Abraham is speechless.
SARAH
You’ve
stood up for her over and
over again, but I’ve had it with
her. That boy threatened Isaac
and I want them gone.
Abraham is speechless. He backs away.
ABRAHAM
I
will...confer with God...about
it.
Abraham backs away from Sarah and runs
through the camp. He runs
into Hagar, who stands in his way.
HAGAR
What
lies has she told you of me?
ABRAHAM
What
have you done?
HAGAR
I
have done nothing. You look
distressed.
ABRAHAM
Only
because of the reports I’ve been
given.
HAGAR
She
lies about me.
ABRAHAM
The
Lord will decide between the
two of you.
Abraham walks past Hagar, who looks suddenly
worried.
He walks past his flocks to the well where he
has made his
treaty with Abimelech. There, he falls to
his knees.
ABRAHAM
Oh,
God of the universe, creator
of all mankind, my strength and
source of prosperity and happiness.
I
am in need of counsel only you
can provide. What am I to do about
the Egyptian servant of Sarah who
bore to me Ishmael? Am I to cast
away my son?
GOD
Do
not be so distressed about the
boy and your maidservant. Listen to
whatever Sarah tells you, because it
is through Isaac that your seed will
be reckoned. I will make the son of
the maidservant into a nation also,
because he is your offspring.
ABRAHAM
Yes,
Lord.
EXT. ABRAHAM’S ENCAMPMENT – DAY
SUPER: “The Next Day”
Abraham is standing outside his tent with
Hagar and Ishmael. He
gives her a skin of water and a bag containing twelve loaves of
bread. Hagar is very sad.
HAGAR
So
just like that, you send us away?
ABRAHAM
The
Lord told me to listen to Sarah
on your account, and she wants to
send you away. I cannot go against
the word of the Lord.
HAGAR
I
know.
ISHMAEL
Where
will we go?
HAGAR
I
don’t know, Ishmael.
(to Abraham)
Where
should we go?
ABRAHAM
The
land is open to you. You may
go where you wish. In Gerar, no
one will stand against you.
Ishmael
is a fine hunter. He will
be able to feed you.
Hagar nods. She hugs Abraham.
HAGAR
I
will miss you.
ABRAHAM
Take
care of yourselves.
Hagar nods again. Sarah steps out of the tent
and looks at Hagar
triumphantly.
HAGAR
Well,
you got your wish, Sarah. I
hope you’re happy.
SARAH
My
wish is for the safety of my
child. He will be safer with you
gone.
ABRAHAM
(to Hagar)
You’d
best go.
Hagar nods sadly.
HAGAR
Come
on, Ishmael.
Hagar leads Ishmael away from the encampment.
Abraham watches
her go. Sarah stands next to Abraham.
SARAH
Part
of me will honestly miss her.
ABRAHAM
I
know. I will too.
They watch as Hagar and Ishmael walk away
from the camp.
EXT.
--Hagar and Ishmael wander through the
--They share the water and the bread
--Day turns to night and they sleep.
--Day comes again and they continue their
trek.
END MONTAGE
Hagar holds the water skin over Ishmael’s
mouth and squeezes the
last drops of water from it. She drops the skin in frustration.
HAGAR
That’s
it. We’ve wandered for days and
found nothing. Where are the choice
lands? Where is the water?
ISHAMEL
(panicking)
What
are we going to do?
HAGAR
Relax,
I don’t know.
Hagar sees a large bush nearby.
HAGAR
Come
on. You stay under this bush and
stay cool. I’ll see if I can find
anything around here.
ISHMAEL
Where
are you going?
HAGAR
It’ll
be okay.
She leaves him under the bush and walks away.
After about thirty
yards, she falls to her knees and cries. A man appears in front
of her.
HAGAR
I
cannot watch the boy die.
ANGEL
What
is the matter, Hagar?
HAGAR
My
son and I will die in this
desert. We have no where to go,
and we are out of water.
ANGEL
Do
not be afraid; God has heard
the boy crying as he lies there.
Lift
the boy up and take him by
the hand, for I will make him
into a great nation.
The angel steps back. Hagar looks up and sees
a well right in
front of her.
HAGAR
Thank
you.
She looks around, and the angel is gone.
Moments later, she brings the filled water
skin to Ishmael, and
he drinks.
ISHMAEL
Mother,
are we saved?
HAGAR
We
are, and you will be a great
nation, for the God of your
father has blessed us.
ISHMAEL
Where
are we to live?
HAGAR
Here.
Hagar brings Ishmael out from under the bush
and leads him to
the well. Nearby, a large herd of wild deer gathers.
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
EXT. ABRAHAM’S ENCAMPMENT – DAY
SUPER: “2084 Anno Mundi”
Isaac, now 37, stands outside his tent
watching a cloud of dust
in the distance. A camel slowly comes into view. Isaac walks
into a tent near his. Inside, Abraham (137) and Sarah (127) sit.
ISAAC
Father,
Ishmael is coming.
Abraham gets up. Sarah
smiles.
SARAH
Is
he staying for dinner?
ABRAHAM
Plan
on it unless we find out
otherwise.
SARAH
Okay.
Sarah’s opinion has obviously softened
towards her handmaid’s
son over the years. Abraham exits the tent.
Ishmael, 51, rides up on a camel. He gets
down to stand in front
of Abraham. Abraham reaches out to embrace him.
ABRAHAM
Ishmael,
welcome back. I had tried
to visit with you on a few
occasions, but you were out.
ISHMAEL
I
am sorry. I have many mouths to
provide for. My wives did deliver
your messages, however. I decided
to leave them to my servant for
a few days and come to you.
ABRAHAM
Good.
Good. I will check with
Sarah
and arrange a comfortable
stay for you.
ISHMAEL
Thank you, father.
Abraham runs back into the tent. Ishmael
looks at Isaac
deviously.
ISHMAEL
You
know, I was thirteen years
old when the Lord spoke to my
father to circumcise us, and I
did according to the word of the
Lord
which he spoke to my father,
and I gave my soul to the Lord,
and I did not break the word he
commanded my father.
Isaac scoffs.
ISAAC
Why
bother boasting about this? It’s
a little bit of flesh which you
took from your body that the Lord
commanded you. As the Lord lives,
the God of my father Abraham, if
the Lord should say to my father,
“Take
now your son Isaac and bring
him up as an offering before me,” I
would not refrain but would accept
the responsibility with joy.
EXT. HEAVEN
Angels stand around the throne of God,
characterized by a large
throne bathed in light. Another angel materializes. He is only
known here as SATAN.
GOD
Where
have you come from?
SATAN
From
moving among the men of the
earth.
GOD
And
what have you found among
them?
SATAN
I
have seen all the children of the
earth who serve you and remember
you when they require anything of
you. And when you give them what
they require from you, they sit at
ease, and forget about you, and
don’t remember you anymore. Take
Abraham,
son of Terah, who at first
had no children, and he served you
and built altars to you wherever he
went, and he brought up offerings
on them, and he proclaimed your name
continually to all the earth. But
look, now that his son, Isaac, is
born, he has forgotten you. He made
a great feast for all the inhabitants
of the land, but you he has forgotten.
In
all he has done he brought you no
offering; neither burnt offering nor
peace offering, neither ox, lamb nor
goat of all that he killed on the day
his son was weaned. Even from the
time of his son’s birth until now,
being thirty-seven years, he built no
altar to you, nor brought any offering
to you, for he saw that you gave what
he requested before you, and has now
forgotten you.
GOD
This
is your consideration of my
servant Abraham? There is none like
him upon the earth. He is a perfect and
upright man before me, one that fears
God
and avoids evil. Have you heard the
words of his son Isaac spoken to his
brother Ishmael. If I were to say to
him, “Bring up Isaac, your son, before
me,” he would not withhold him from
me, any more than he would if I asked
for an offering from his flocks or
herds.
SATAN
So
tell him to do so, and we’ll see
what he does.
GOD
From
the moment the words left the
lips of his son, the matter was
decided.
EXT. ABRAHAM’S ENCAMPMENT – DAY
Abraham prepares the meat of one of the
animals of his herds.
GOD
Abraham.
Abraham puts down his implements, and kneels
before God.
ABRAHAM
Here
am I.
GOD
Take
you son, your only son, Isaac,
whom you love, and go to the region
of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as
a
burnt offering on one of the
mountains I will tell you about.
ABRAHAM
My son?
GOD
As
I have spoken.
Abraham remains on the ground for a long
moment. Finally, he
rises to his feet.
ABRAHAM
How
will I separate my son Isaac from
Sarah
his mother, in order to bring
him up for a burnt offering before
the Lord?
Abraham signals a servant over.
ABRAHAM
Please
finish preparing this for me.
SERVANT
Yes,
my lord.
Abraham walks through the camp to his tent.
He stands outside
for a moment, as if considering what to say. Finally, he enters.
INT. ABRAHAM’S TENT – DAY
Sarah sits peacefully within. Abraham sits
with her. He seems to
still be considering his words.
SARAH
What’s
on your mind?
ABRAHAM
My
son Isaac is grown up and he
has not for some time studied the
service of his God. Tomorrow I
will bring him to Shem, and Eber
his son, and there he will learn
the ways of the Lord, for they
will teach him to know the Lord as
well as to know that when he prays
continually before the Lord, the
Lord
will answer him, so there he
will know the way of serving the
Lord
his God.
SARAH
It
sounds good to me. Go and do
as you have said, but do not take
him very far from me, or let him
stay there too long, for my soul is
bound with his.
ABRAHAM
Sarah,
let us pray to the Lord
our God that he would do good to us.
They hold hands and bow their heads together.
EXT. ABRAHAM’S ENCAMPMENT – DAY
Abraham, Isaac, Eliezer,
and Ishmael stand ready to leave. Sarah
has her arms around Isaac, not wanting to let him go. Isaac is
dressed in very fine garments. One might say he is overdressed
compared to Abraham and Ishmael; like a little prince. Also with
them is a donkey of Abraham, saddled with provisions and wood
cut for the burnt offering.
SARAH
Oh
my son, how can my soul separate
itself from you?
She finally releases him. She turns to
Abraham.
SARAH
O
my husband, please take care of
your son, and place your eyes over
him, for I have no other son or
daughter other than him. Don’t forget
about him. If he is hungry, give him
bread, and if he is thirsty, give
him water. Don’t let him walk too far
or go by himself on the road, or
make him do anything he doesn’t wish
to do.
ABRAHAM
The
Lord’s will is with him, and the
Lord
will watch over him.
SARAH
I’m
sorry. I’m just going to miss
him so much.
ABRAHAM
I
know. It’ll be ok.
Sarah hugs Isaac once more and adjust his garments.
SARAH
Come
back to me soon.
ISAAC
Yes,
mother.
Once more big hug.
SARAH
Who
knows if I will see you
again after today?
She releases him. Abraham and Isaac with the
donkey set out
accompanied by Ishmael and Eliezer.
Sarah waves after them.
Finally, she goes back into the tent.
EXT.
Abraham leads his small band across the
Moriah. Eliezer and
Ishmael drop back behind Abraham and Isaac a
short distance.
ISHMAEL
Now,
my father Abraham is going up
with Isaac to bring him up for a
burnt offering to the Lord, as He
commanded him. Now when he returns,
he will give to me all that he
possesses to inherit after him, for
I
am his first born.
ELIEZER
Abraham
cast you away with your
mother, and with that, you will not
inherit any of his possessions. So
to whom will he give all his treasures?
To
his servant, who has been faithful
in his house, who has served him night
and day, and has done all he has
desired of me. To me he will give
all he possesses at the time of him
death.
Abraham and Isaac walk before them, not
listening to their
conversation. Off to one side, Satan, disguised as a
humble old
man, materializes. He walks over to Abraham.
SATAN
Are
you silly or foolish that you are
going to do this thing? God gave you
a son in your old age. Will you go
slaughter him today? He committed
no evil or wrong doing. Will you
cause the soul of your only son to
perish from the earth? You know this
cannot be from the Lord, for the
Lord
cannot do to man the evil of
saying, “Go slaughter your son.”
ABRAHAM
Go
your own way. Only God himself
can turn me from this task which
he has given me.
The man walks away. He reforms into a young
man and walks around
to Isaac.
SATAN
Don’t
you know that your silly old
father is bringing you to the
slaughter today for nothing? So
don’t listen to him, for he is a
silly old man. Don’t let your
precious soul and beautiful form
be lost from this earth.
Isaac looks at Satan, confused. He turns to
Abraham.
ISAAC
Did
you hear what this man said?
He
said you intend to kill me.
ABRAHAM
Don’t
listen to him, my son, nor
attend to his words, for he is the
deceiver, trying to turn us aside
from the commands of God.
(to Satan)
Get
away from us. Your words have
no meaning here.
Satan stops. He disappears.
Some distance ahead of them, Satan reappears.
He shrinks into
the ground and becomes a raging river.
Abraham and his caravan reach the river.
ABRAHAM
This
is odd.
ELIEZER
I
don’t remember a river here
before. Ishmael?
ISHAMEL
This
is very strange, but I
suppose we have to cross it.
ABRAHAM
Let’s
go.
The four and the donkey walk into the river.
Unnaturally quick,
it is up to their necks.
ISHAMEL
There’s
something wrong here.
ABRAHAM
It
is the work of the deceiver
trying to prevent us from doing
the will of the Lord.
ELIEZER
What
can we do?
ABRAHAM
The
Lord rebuke you, deceiver! Be
gone from us for we go by the
commands of God.
The water lifts and returns to the form of
Satan as he was
before God. Then Satan disappears.
ISAAC
Why
is he trying to stop us?
ABRAHAM
That
is his purpose. Let’s go.
EXT. REGION OF MORIAH – DAY
Mountains loom in the distance as Abraham and
his caravan wake
up.
ELIEZER
Day three, today. We’re about
there aren’t we?
ABRAHAM
It
is in the distance.
Abraham looks at the mountains. One of them
has a pillar of fire
stretching up into the heavens.
ABRAHAM
Come
here, Isaac.
ISAAC
Yes,
father.
ABRAHAM
My
son, do you see on that mountain
in the distance what I see?
Isaac looks at the mountain for a moment, as
if disbelieving
what he sees.
ISAAC
I
see a pillar of fire and a cloud,
and the glory of the Lord is in the
cloud.
Abraham nods.
ABRAHAM
It
means the Lord has accepted you.
ISAAC
Accepted
me as what?
ABRAHAM
Patience, my son. You will know.
ISAAC
Ok.
Abraham steps back to Ishmael and Eliezer.
ABRAHAM
Ishmael.
Eliezer.
Do you also see
on that mountain in the distance
what I see?
They both look at the mountain. In their
eyes, the mountains are
normal. Nothing is on them.
ELIEZER
I
see nothing more than the
mountains of the earth.
ISHMAEL
As
do I.
ABRAHAM
Then
you are not to go with us
any further. Stay here with the
donkey while Isaac and I go into
the mountains to worship the
Lord.
Then, we will return to you.
Abraham turns to walk away.
ISHAMEL
Both of you?
Abraham stops. He half turns to them, knowing
that they know
what the Lord has commanded.
ABRAHAM
If
it is within the Lord’s will
for him to return, then he will.
God
has said it is through Isaac
that my seed will be reckoned.
I
do not know how this fits into
his plan, but God does not lie.
If
he tells me to sacrifice my
son to the death, then with a
heavy heart, I will do as he
commands for he is my God.
ELIEZER
But
what will happen if Isaac dies?
ABRAHAM
Perhaps
God will resurrect him.
The
power of life and death is in
his hands.
Abraham turns back to Isaac, who is waiting
for him. Abraham
gives Isaac the wood and Abraham takes the necessary implements
of sacrifice.
ISAAC
Father?
ABRAHAM
Yes,
my son?
ISAAC
The
fire and wood are here, but where
is the lamb for the burnt offering?
Abraham pauses for a good long moment, trying
to gather the
words. A tear streaks down his face.
ABRAHAM
God
himself will provide the lamb
for the burnt offering, my son.
Abraham looks to Ishmael and Eliezer for a moment. He looks to
Isaac, who is ready to go.
ABRAHAM
Let’s
go.
Abraham and Isaac walk toward
fire continues reaching into the heavens.
EXT. REGION OF MORIAH – DAY
Abraham and Isaac walk along together toward
ISAAC
Father,
when will God provide the
lamb for the burnt offering?
Abraham looks at Isaac with mixed emotions
(knowing the will of
God, but finding it very difficult to follow).
ABRAHAM
The
Lord has made choice of you my
son, to be a perfect burnt offering
instead of the lamb.
Isaac processes this for a moment. He looks
at Abraham with
mixed emotions (pride at being by God for this honor, but he is
going to die).
ISAAC
I
will do all that the Lord spoke to
you with joy and cheerfulness of
heart.
ABRAHAM
Is
there in your heart any thought
or counsel about whether or not
this is right? Tell me, please.
Don’t
keep it to yourself.
ISAAC
Father,
as the Lord lives and as your
soul lives, there is nothing in my
heart to cause me to turn either to
the right or to the left from the word
he has spoken to you. Neither limb nor
muscle has moved or stirred at this,
nor is there is my heart any thought
or evil counsel about it. I have a
joyful and cheerful heart in this
matter, and I say, Blessed is the Lord
who has chosen me today to be a burnt
offering before him.
ABRAHAM
Oh,
my son!
Abraham holds his son in his arms, tears
streaming. They
continue walking onward.
MONTAGE
--Abraham and Isaac reach the foot of the
mountain.
--They climb the mountain with their baggage
until they reach
the place designated by the pillar of fire.
--Together, weeping, they build the altar to
the Lord.
END MONTAGE
EXT.
Abraham takes the wood and places it upon the
altar. He turns to
Isaac, who looks at him, like he is ready to
go but doesn’t want
to leave.
ISAAC
You
need to bind me.
ABRAHAM
I
know.
Abraham gets rope and binds Isaac.
ISAAC
Bind
me securely and then place me
upon the altar or else I might turn
and move or break loose from the
force of the knife upon my flesh
and profane the burnt offering.
Abraham nods and binds Isaac tightly.
ISAAC
Father,
when you have slain me and
burnt me for an offering, take the
remains of my ashes to my mother
Sarah
and tell her, “This is the
sweet smelling savor of Isaac.”
But
don’t tell her this if she is
near a well or any high place, or
she might cast her soul after me
and die.
Abraham laughs through his tears. Isaac smiles. He finishes
binding Isaac. Abraham stands and hugs his son again. Tears flow
down the faces of them both. Isaac pats Abraham.
ISAAC
Quickly, father. Do with me the will
of the Lord our God as He has
commanded you.
Abraham lifts his son onto the altar. Isaac
stretches out and
prepares for the knife. Abraham picks the knife up in his hand.
He looks at his son for a long moment. He
raises the knife over
his head.
EXT. HEAVEN
An angel appears before the throne of God and
bows low before
him.
ANGEL
O
Lord, you are a merciful and
compassionate King over all that
you have created in heaven and in
earth, and you support them all.
Give
ransom and redemption instead
of your servant Isaac. Pity and
have compassion on Abraham and
Isaac
his son, who are this day
doing as you commanded. You have
seen, O Lord, how Isaac the son
of Abraham is bound down to the
slaughter like an animal. O Lord,
let your pity be roused for them!
EXT. MOUNT OF MORIAH – DAY
Abraham stands over Isaac, the knife above
his head, ready to
bring it down. Tear stream down his face. Nothing he has
experienced has been more difficult than this moment. He
brings
the knife down.
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
EXT. MOUNT OF MORIAH – DAY
Abraham stands over Isaac, the knife above
his head, ready to
bring it down. Tears stream down his face. Isaac closes his eyes
in readiness. Abraham brings the knife down.
GOD
Abraham!
Abraham!
Abraham stops the descent of the knife. He
stumbles back. Drops
the knife to the ground. He falls to the ground.
ABRAHAM
Here
am I.
GOD
Do
not lay a hand on the boy. Do
not do anything to him. Now I
know that you fear God, because
you have not withheld from me
your son, your only son.
Abraham looks up to find a ram with its horns
caught in a
thicket.
GOD
Let
this be your offering.
Abraham stands and smiles, knowing God
redeemed his son.
ABRAHAM
Thank
you, Lord.
Abraham unties Isaac. Together they retrieve
the ram and bring
it to the altar.
Later, the ram burns on the altar. The smoke
travels into the
heavens.
ABRAHAM
This
is in the place of my son,
and may be considered this day the
blood of my son before the Lord
EXT. HEAVEN
The angels stand around the throne.
GOD
This
service is acceptable before me,
and it will be accounted as if it
were Isaac upon the altar. Abraham
and his seed will be forever blessed.
EXT. REGION OF MORIAH – DAY
Eliezer and Ishmael watch the smoke travel into the heavens from
their vantage point with the donkey.
ISHMAEL
Do
you think he actually went
through with it?
ELIEZER
We
will know soon enough.
ISHMAEL
What
would Sarah say?
ELIEZER
I
think Abraham would be the next
one offered up as a burnt offering.
EXT. ABRAHAM’S ENCAMPMENT – DAY
Sarah sits under a tree watching into the
distance for the
return of Abraham and Isaac. She doesn’t look particularly
worried, but perhaps she has lost a little sleep over it.
Behind her Satan materializes. He takes the
form of the old man
and walks up to her. Sarah turns to him, startled.
SARAH
Who
are you?
SATAN
A friend. I came to inform you of
what I have seen in the region of
Moriah
concerning your son.
SARAH
What
do you know?
SATAN
You
don’t know what Abraham has
done to your only son today?
SARAH
He
went to the house of Shem.
SATAN
He
did not. He took Isaac, built
an altar and killed him.
Sarah stands in horror. Her hands go over her
mouth in shock.
SATAN
He
brought Isaac up as a sacrifice
upon the altar, and Isaac cried
and wept before his father, but
Abraham
neither looked at him, nor
would he have compassion on him.
SARAH
You
lie!
SATAN
I
speak the truth. Look. You do not
see him returning.
At this, Sarah falls to the ground, wailing
in grief. Satan
disappears. Servants appear from the fields and tents
to see
what is going on. Encrusted with dirt, Sarah lifts up her head.
SARAH
O
my son, Isaac my son. I wish that
I
had died today instead of you. To
think that I brought you up from
birth and now my joy is turned into
sorrow over you. I who longed so
long for you, and cried and prayed
to God until I gave birth to you
at the age of ninety. And now you
have lived today for the knife and
fire, to be made an offering.
A maidservant of Sarah walks to her. She
kneels to Sarah who
puts her head in the servants lap.
SARAH
I
find consolation with you, my
son, in it being the word of
God,
for you only performed his
command. For who can transgress
the word of our God, in whose
hands is the soul of every living
creature? You are just, O Lord
our God, for all your works are
good and righteous. While my heart
rejoices with your word, my eye
weeps bitterly.
She closes her eyes, and tears flow down her
face. She lies as
still as if she were dead. Her servant strokes her hair,
comfortingly.
EXT.
Abraham, Isaac, Ishamel,
and Eliezer walk across
to his encampment.
ELIEZER
...and
the ram was in a thicket
nearby.
ABRAHAM
The
Lord must have prepared it for
the purposes of redeeming Isaac.
ISAAC
I
would have been proud to be an
offering to the Lord, but I admit
that I was scared.
ABRAHAM
I
was more scared, my son.
ISHMAEL
Why
would the Lord have done this?
ABRAHAM
It
occurred to me as we walked that
I
had offered no offerings to the
Lord
since Isaac’s birth amidst
all the feasts we had at home. I
had not forgotten God, but I forgot
my duty to him.
ELIEZER
That’s
a harsh way to teach a
lesson.
ABRAHAM
It
could have been much worse.
EXT. ABRAHAM’S ENCAMPMENT – DAY
The four men and the donkey walk into the
camp. Servants look up
in surprise. One of them walks over to them.
SERVANT
1
My lord Abraham. You returned
with Isaac!
ABRAHAM
Of
course I did. What’s wrong?
SERVANT
1
It’s
your wife, Sarah.
ABRAHAM
Where
is she?
SERVANT
1
She
had received word that Isaac
was sacrificed as a burnt offering
from an old man who must have
traveled with you. She went to
inquire as to the truth of the
matter.
ABRAHAM
Where
did she go?
SERVANT
1
The
last we knew, she was going
to
ABRAHAM
Oh
no, this is all my fault. We
have to find her.
ELIEZER
Where
are we to go?
ABRAHAM
You
aren’t going anywhere. I want
you and Ishmael to stay here in
case she comes back before we do.
Isaac
and I are going to
ELIEZER
Ok.
ABRAHAM
Come
on, we need to refresh our
provisions and get going.
Everyone moves to get provisions for Abraham
and Isaac.
EXT. KIRIATH-ARBA -
Sarah walks along the road talking to
everyone.
SARAH
Do
you know of Abraham son of
Terah and his son Isaac?
HITTITE
Abraham
is a mighty man. I have
not seen him and know nothing
of his son.
SARAH
Please,
would anyone know?
HITTITE
I’m
sorry. I don’t know.
She sits down on the side of the road,
weeping. Two servants
walk up to her.
SERVANT
2
Sarah,
we’ve returned from the
house of Shem, son of Noah.
Sarah stands quickly.
SARAH
Yes?
What have you learned? What
did they say?
SERVANT
3
Shem
said that Abraham was never
there, nor was Isaac. He sends his
prayers.
Sarah sits back down.
SARAH
He’s
dead. My son is dead.
Satan walks up beside her. She and the
servants look at him.
SARAH
What
do you want?
SATAN
I
came to give you more news.
SARAH
I’m
not interested.
SATAN
I
spoke falsely to you.
SARAH
What?
SATAN
Abraham
did not kill his son. Isaac
is not dead. They are now looking
for you and have entered this town
only just now.
Sarah jumps for joy. Satan disappears.
SARAH
They
are here! Isaac is alive!
She runs through the streets declaring this
news to various
strangers. She finally ends at her servants.
SARAH
He’s
alive!
SERVANT
2
Yes,
ma’am.
Suddenly, Sarah collapses. Abraham and Isaac
see her fall.
ISAAC
Mother!
Abraham and Isaac run over to her. Isaac
props her head in his
lap. Abraham sits next her and takes her hand.
ISAAC
Mother.
Sarah looks up to Isaac and smiles.
SARAH
I
was told falsely that you had
died and were taken from me.
ISAAC
No,
God redeemed me. I am here.
ABRAHAM
I
am sorry I didn’t tell you
what was going on.
SARAH
I
know why you didn’t. I couldn’t
have handled it.
ISAAC
Who
told you I died?
SARAH
It
could only have been the
deceiver. He told me you died and
then told me he lied and that you
lived, and here you are.
ISAAC
I’ll
always be here.
SARAH
I’ll
always be with you. I love
you, my son and my husband.
ISAAC
I
love you, mother.
ABRAHAM
I
love you, Sarah.
Sarah smiles and breathes her last. Isaac
holds her to him,
wailing at the loss. Abraham hugs her body as well, crying at
her loss. Everyone in the street walks around them, respectfully
not disturbing them.
Finally, Abraham comes to his feet. He looks
at the people
around him.
ABRAHAM
Sons
of Heth, I am an alien and a
stranger among you. Sell me some
property for a burial site here so
I
can bury my dead.
MESHAR
Sir,
listen to us. You are a mighty
prince among us. Bury your dead in
the choicest of our tombs. None of
us will refuse you his tomb for
burying your dead.
Abraham kneels before the gathering of
Hittites.
ABRAHAM
If
you are willing to let me bury
my dead, then listen to me and
intercede with Ephron son of Zohar
on my behalf so he will sell me
the
to him and is at the end of his
field. Ask him to sell it to me for
the full price as a burial site
among you.
EPHRON steps out of the crowd.
EPHRON
No, my lord Abraham. Listen to me.
ABRAHAM
Ephron, you are here.
EPHRON
You
have always been a good neighbor
to me and my servants. Listen to me.
I
give you the field, and I give you
the cave that is in it. I give it to
you in the presence of my people.
Bury
your dead.
ABRAHAM
Listen
to me, if you will. I will pay
the price of the field. Accept it
from me so I can bury my dead there.
EPHRON
Listen
to me, my lord. The land is
worth four hundred shekels of silver,
but what is that between me and you?
Bury
your dead.
ABRAHAM
I
agree to your price, Ephron, son of
Zohar.
Abraham lifts their bag of provisions. Ephron brings forward a
scale with the weight set for four hundred shekels. Abraham
places the four hundred shekels on the scale. Ephron
and Abraham
shake hands to seal the deal.
EPHRON
Listen
all and write it in the book
of the purchases: That the cave and
the field Abraham bought from Ephron
the Hittite, and from his seed, and
from those that go out of his city,
and from their seed forever, are to
be a purchase to Abraham and to his
seed and to those that go forth from
his loins, for a possession of a
burial place forever. You are all
witnesses to this transaction.
Sarah’s body lies on a bier. She is dressed
in fine garments,
befitting a queen. At the four corners of the bier are Isaac,
Ishmael, Eliezer,
and Unic.
They stand with Abraham in the
company of Abraham’s servants, Shem and his son Eber,
Hagar,
Ephron, the Hittites, Abimelech, Phicol, and a host of
others.
ABRAHAM
Today, I bury my wife, Sarah. She has
been with me as we fled from Nimrod,
the king of
Chaldeans.
She was with me as I left
my father Terah in the
She
spent her life barren, but with
the promise of God that we would have
a child. At the age of ninety, she
gave birth to Isaac, whom she loved.
She
died, lost in her love for him.
She
completed me like no one else
ever will. I miss her and will always
love her.
He turns to Sarah in state on the bier.
ABRAHAM
Good-bye,
my love. I will join you
when I am someday gathered to my
fathers as well.
The four men carrying Sarah take her into the
tomb. Abraham
follows.
END OF ACT THREE
Source Material:
From the Bible:
Genesis 21:22-22:19, 23:1-20
From extra-canonical works:
The Book of Jashar
21:11-16, 22:4-10, 22:40-24:16