267 GENESIS 22: WHAT QUESTION SHOULD WE ASK THE TEXT? be interpreted in the same way. It seems more natural to think that Genesis 22 endeavors to attribute to Abraham the foundation of a cult on a moun- tain which, later on, will be chosen by Solomon as the place to build the temple because the Lord had appeared to his father David in that very place. If 2 Chr 3,1 had known Genesis 22, it would have surely mentioned Abraham before David, as K. Schmid has noticed 26. This is not the case, however. It means that Genesis 22 is part of those texts that try to attribute to Abraham a role of initiator and founder in many areas of later Jewish religious life. As a last argument in favor of a late date for Genesis 22, we must say that this text is mentioned for the first time in very late, apocryphal, writ- ings, such as Sir 44,20; Wis 10,5; 1 Macc 2,52 — and all these passages speak of Abraham’s test — or in the New Testament (Heb 11,17-18; Jas 2,21-22; perhaps Rom 8,32). Other texts that speak of similar topics, es- pecially child sacrifice, never mention Genesis 22, as for instance Mic 6,7; Lev 18,21; Deut 12,31; 2 Kgs 17,17; Jer 7,31; 19,5; 32,35; Ps 106,37- 38. Now, a simple allusion to Genesis 22 would have given a strong ar- gument against this — hypothetical — practice. In conclusion, Genesis 22 stands alone in the Abraham cycle, as a kind of “white crow”. This is an essential element for the interpretation of the text, its dating, and the appraisal of its deep theological meaning. Via della Pilotta, 25 Jean Louis SKA I – 00187 Rome SUMMARY Among the questions raised by Gen 22,1-19, this short study grapples with those concerning the figure of God, the peculiarities of the plot, and the date of the text. God puts Abraham to the test “to know” how the latter will pass this test. The plot is therefore a plot of discovery that ends with an anagnorisis, a passage from ignorance to knowledge in 22,12. There is no explicit peripeteia in the narrative, however, and this means that the reader must imagine the change of situation. All these features point towards a later date. See SCHMID, “Die Rückgabe”, 21. 26 © Gregorian Biblical Press 2013 - Tutti i diritti riservati