Originally published in the Encyclopedia Judaica, vol. 2 (1972), pp. 480-4. AKEDAH (‘Aqedah; Heb. עקדה, lit. “binding (of Isaac)”), the Pentateuchal narrative (Gen. 22: 1-19) describing God’s command to Abraham to offer Isaac, the son of his old age, as a sacrifice. Obedient to the command, Abraham takes Isaac to the place of sacrifice and binds…