2823. Verse 12. And He said, Put not forth thine hand upon the boy, and do not anything unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, and thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only one, from Me. “He said, Put not forth thine hand upon the boy,” signifies that He should admit the temptation no further into the Truth Divine which belonged to the rational; “and do not anything unto him,” signifies liberation; “for now I know that thou fearest God,” signifies glorification from the Divine love; “and hast not withheld thy son, thine only one, from Me,” signifies the unition of the Human with the Divine by means of the last of temptation.

2817. And took the knife. That this signifies as to truth, is evident from the signification of a “knife,” as being the truth of faith (explained above, n. 2799); and that the Lord’s temptation was as to Truth Divine, see above (n. 2813, 2814).