Abraham and Sarah

This is taken from a story in the Old Testament of the bible where Abraham, the father of the nations is told by God to kill his son, a child he has been waiting for for 80 years. It was originally written for my drama group at my church and is the second in a trilogy about the life of Isaac and his parents. When reading this story I have always been fascinated by the character of Sarah, Abrahams wife. She was over 100 years old when she gave birth to Isaac and was thought to be barren up to that point. Isaac was a gift in an impossible situation. I often wondered if Sarah would have known that Abraham was told to kill their son. After research on this I formed the opinion that she did. This particular sketch is not anywhere in the bible but is how I would have imagined Abraham telling Sarah had she had known about it and the reaction she would have had. It takes place in their kitchen on the day father and son are setting off on a trip to make a sacrifice to God which is where God had told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.

Abraham and Sarah – Part 2

Scene

SARAH and ISAAC are in the kitchen; ISAAC is finishing his breakfast and SARAH it tidying away.

ISAAC          Finished!

SARAH          Already? Great, you’re first long trip away sacrificing and you’re going to be suffering from indigestion for the whole journey.

ISAAC          Mum! I’m fine! Can we go?

SARAH          Sure honey, as soon as we find your father.

ISAAC          Where is he?

SARAH          He went out to talk to God this morning, I tell you – he must be as excited as you sweetie, he didn’t get a wink of sleep last night.

ISAAC          I wanna go!

SARAH          Wait! Your father will be back soon

ABRAHAM enters, looking withdrawn

SARAH          Your ears must have been burning, (Kisses Abraham) Had a nice chat?

ABRAHAM What? Oh, yeah.

ISAAC          Dad! We going now?

ABRAHAM (Looks at ISAAC, pause) Soon son, I need to talk to your mother first though.

ISAAC          But I want to go!

SARAH          Looking like that? I don’t think so! Your hands are filthy. Go wash up.

ISAAC          But I’m hiking outside! I’ll only make them dirty again!

SARAH          You’re not hiking right now though are you? Go on!

ISAAC leaves dragging his feet, ABRAHAM sits at the table

SARAH          So what did you want to say? Other than how much you’re going to miss me and long for me when you’re gone of course. (ABRAHAM hangs his head, SARAH’S face falls) You’re going to stay out there longer aren’t you? (Sits down next to him) How long?

ABRAHAM It’s not that, at least not that I know of.

SARAH          Yeah, you never know until you get out there, just remember though, Isaac is still a boy, too long out there would be too much for him.

ABRAHAM Sarah –

SARAH          I know, ‘faith.’ I have it, if God wants you two to stay longer then who am I to say otherwise.

ABRAHAM Sarah –

SARAH          You know, it’s just a mothers prerogative to worry endlessly, and I hate being that typical mother but –

ABRAHAM Sarah, it’s not about that!

(Pause)

SARAH          Well, what’s it about then? (ABRAHAM stands and moves across the stage) Abe, you’re starting to worry me.

ABRAHAM Well I’m worried

SARAH          I heard you tossing and turning all night last night – and this morning, you were gone before sunrise, what’s going on?

ABRAHAM (Standing with his back to SARAH) I don’t know what to do.

SARAH          (Walks to ABRAHAM) Well, whatever it is, I’m sure we’ll figure it out.

ABRAHAM It’s already been figured out, I know what I have to do, it’s just –

SARAH          What you have to do? What do you have to do?

ABRAHAM (Turns to SARAH) You have to realise, this is God’s will, he knows all, we have to trust in him, that this is for the best.

SARAH          Ok, Abe – what’s going on?

ABRAHAM God’s told me the sacrifice that I have to make on this trip.

SARAH          (Laughs) Is that it? You know you really had me going there, Abe sweety, you worry way too much –

ABRAHAM It’s Isaac

SARAH          (Pause) What did you just say?

ABRAHAM God’s chosen Isaac Sarah

SARAH          Ok, there must be come mistake here

ABRAHAM There’s no mistake, I made sure of it

SARAH          Abraham, please don’t tell me you’re considering sacrificing our son! (ABRAHAM looks at her, guilt ridden) You are!

ABRAHAM Sarah – (Moves towards her)

SARAH          (Pushes him away) Get away from me! You are not leaving this house with my son! You’re not coming close!

ABRAHAM Sarah, look at me! Do you think that I want to do this? Do you think that I woke up this morning and said ‘I know what I’ll do today, I’ll kill my one and only son, the boy that I love so much it hurts.’ No! I hate this so much, and believe me I’ve tried to find a way out of this, but there isn’t one, it has to be done!

SARAH          Well here’s a way out of it – don’t kill him!

ABRAHAM And disobey God?

SARAH          Let me think about this? – Yes!

ABRAHAM Sarah, you have to believe me that I –

SARAH          That you don’t want to do this? Yeah, you’ve said, yet you’re still doing it!

ABRAHAM Please, try to calm down –

SARAH          Calm down? How did you think I’d react? Did you think I’d step aside as the nice wife, pat you on the head and say ‘go ahead Abe, if God says so then kill our only son!’ (Pause, says quietly) I waited my whole life to have this child Abraham, please don’t take him away from me now.

ABRAHAM (Walks over and holds Sarah gently) Sarah, I know how much you’ve wanted this child, remember, I was the man by your side, praying and wanting one with you too, I’ve not changed from that man. But remember shortly after we were married putting the birth and lives of our future children in God’s hands? He is the God who knows all Sarah, he has seen every foreseeable path and said this is the right one, that’s a kind of knowledge that we’ll never be able to understand.

SARAH          Well if we’re talking of Gods chosen paths, how are you meant to have many descendants if God asks you to kill the only heir you have?

ABRAHAM          Well, he hasn’t shown me that yet, but he will. He loves us Sarah, we need to show our love and obedience to him.

ISAAC          (Shouts from offstage) Dad, I’m ready!

SARAH looks in the direction of the shout panic stricken

ABRAHAM Sarah, please? (Both stay staring into each others eyes, ISAAC enters)

ISAAC          Now can we go?

ABRAHAM (Still looking at SARAH) Yeah son, we can go now, (Breaks away to look at ISAAC) You washed up?

ISAAC          Yeah, but I don’t see why I had to, give me five minutes and I’ll be dirty again.

ABRAHAM Don’t let your mother hear you say that or she’ll pack soap and make you scrub every five minutes.

ISAAC          (Grinning) Ok, you ready?

ABRAHAM Yeah, come on, we’d better leave now if we want to make first camp by nightfall.

ISAAC and ABRAHAM go to leave, SARAH who up to this point has stayed rooted to the spot suddenly turns to face Isaac

SARAH          Isaac, wait!

She walks over to ISAAC and ABRAHAM, ABRAHAM gives her a pleading look from behind ISAAC she stares at him for a moment then turns to ISAAC and reaches for a coat on the back of the chair

SARAH          You almost forgot this, you’ll freeze without it! (Looks at ISAAC tearfully then hugs him) I love you so much honey, I’ll miss you.

SARAH straightens up and looks back at ABRAHAM

ABRAHAM We’ll talk more when I get back

ISAAC          (Pulling on ABRAHAMS arm) Dad!

SARAH          Go, have fun!

ABRAHAM and ISAAC leave. SARAH stays rooted to the spot and starts to cry, lights dim.