Britannica Sources used in this answer

What happened in the binding of Isaac, also called the Akedah?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

József Molnár: The March of Abraham — Abraham *The March of Abraham*, painting by József Molnár, 19th century; in the Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest.

The Akedah, or the binding of Isaac, is a pivotal narrative found in Genesis 22 that serves as the final of ten trials to which God subjected Abraham.1

In this account, God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on an altar at Mount Moriah. Abraham demonstrated his obedience by binding Isaac and preparing for the ritual; however, at the last moment, an angel intervened to stop him. A ram was provided as a substitute sacrifice in Isaac's place.12

This event holds profound significance across major religions:
* Judaism: It exemplifies Abraham’s faithfulness and Isaac’s role as a martyr, serving as a source of merit in prayers for divine mercy. The shofar is sounded during Rosh Hashanah to invoke this memory.12
* Christianity: It is viewed as an archetype for the sacrifice of Jesus.1
* Islam: It is cited in the Quran as an act of submission, though the tradition identifies the son as Ishmael.1