In this discursive commentary Joseph Blenkinsopp explores the story of Abraham -- iconic ancestor of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam -- as told in Genesis 1125. Presented in continuous discussion rather than in verse-by-verse form, Blenkinsopps commentary focuses on the literary and theological artistry of the narrative as a whole.<br><br>Blenkinsopp discussses a range of issues raised in the Abraham saga, including confirmation of Gods promises, Isaacs sacrifice and the death of Jesus, and Abrahams other beloved son, Ishmael. Each chapter has a section called Filling in the Gaps, which probes some of the vast amount of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic commentary that the basic Genesis text has generated through the ages.<br><br>In an epilogue Blenkinsopp looks at Abraham in early Christianity and expresses his own views, as a Christian, on Abraham. Readers of Blenkinsopps<i>Abraham: The Story of a Life</i> will surely come away with a deeper, richer understanding of this seminal ancient figure.