The Bible is a well-preserved portrait of ancient culture and history dating back thousands and thousands of years. This historical text contains not only stories but poems, songs and letters. The Bible is made up of two sections; the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Book of Genesis is the first book of both the Old Testament and the Hebrew Bible and did not originate from any other sources. It is also part of the formation of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). The Book of Genesis tells the story and events of the history of early Israel and Judaism's views on the creation of the world. In Genesis 22, the story of when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, also known as the binding of Isaac, is explained. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThe author of the book of Genesis is not directly mentioned, but scholars have concluded that four authors contributed to the creation of the Pentateuch that includes the Book of Genesis. The four sources, also known as the Documentary Hypothesis, are: Yahwist (J), Elohist (E), Priestly (P), and Deuteronomic (D). There are different forms in the Book of Genesis or how it was written and its connection to how it is interpreted. One form is narrative, and according to the Collegeville Bible Commentary, it is “simply a story.” Furthermore, a key form in storytelling is the saga and “sagas are stories that have a basis in fact” and are integrated as they are passed down orally. The period in which the Book of Genesis was written is not specified, but most scholars believe it was the first book to be written. This probably occurred one to three thousand years ago. The story of Abraham almost sacrificing his son Isaac is credited to the Elohist source or tradition. According to The Collegeville Bible Commentary, the commentary focuses on the emotional aspect of Abraham's response to God's commandment. The commandment was for Abraham to take his son, his only son, to a mountain in the region of Moriah and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. “Human sacrifice was commonly practiced….on few occasions in Israel but it was forbidden” [Viviano 38]. The burnt offering was first described in the Hebrew Bible and in Judaism, it was a form of sacrifice usually involving animals. “We hear the silence as father and son walk together….the moment of the final decision” [Viviano 38]. This gives the reader a feeling of suspense and raises questions about what will happen next. Furthermore, this comment is focused on the way Abraham responds rather than the unimaginable fear of what was asked of him by God. Another example is when Isaac asks his father Abraham where the lamb for the burnt offering is. “We smile at Isaac's innocent question and sympathize with Abraham in his tender but evasive response” [Viviano 38]. This quote from the commentary shows the emotions that are most likely to occur when we read these lines. Isaac does not fully understand the situation, but Abraham continues to place his faith in God as he responds. Abraham is guided to “renounce the future and even the promises” when it comes to sacrificing his son Isaac. Harper's Bible Commentary focuses on the use of “highlighted dialogue” and literary elements that add more meaning to the story and ultimately capture the reader's attention. For example, “in which “father” and “son” are each used twice” [Kselman 96]. This quote picks up on the relationship between Abraham and his son Isaac with the use of repetition in verses 6-9. The repetition is also seen near the end of Genesis 22 (verses 17-18). Immediately after the divine intervention, the angel of the Lord shouts to Abraham not once, 1998.