Isaac

According to the biblical Book of Genesis, Isaac (/ˈaɪzək/; Hebrew: יִצְחָק, Modern Yiṣḥāq, Tiberian Jisˤħɔ̆q; "he will laugh"; Arabic: إسحٰق‎/إسحاق‎‎‎‎, Isḥāq) was the son of Abraham and Sarah and father of Jacob; his name means "he laughs", reflecting Sarah's response when told that she would have a child. He was one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites, the only one whose name was not changed, and the only one who did not move out of Canaan. He died when he was 180 years old, the longest-lived of the three. The biblical narrative of Isaac has influenced various religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Modern scholarship doubts the existence of figures from Genesis, including Isaac. 2Etymology The anglicized name Isaac is a transliteration of the Hebrew term Yiṣḥāq which literally means "He laughs/will laugh." Ugaritic texts dating from the 13th century BCE refer to the benevolent smile of the Canaanite deity El. Genesis, however, ascribes the laughter to Isaac's parents, Abraham and Sarah, rather than El. According to the biblical narrative, Abraham fell on his face and laughed when God (Hebrew, Elohim) imparted the news of their son's eventual birth. He laughed because Sarah was past the age of childbearing; both she and Abraham were advanced in age. Later, when Sarah overheard three messengers of the Lord renew the promise, she laughed inwardly for the same reaso