Isaac

Isaac is a patriarch of the Genesis narratives, the son of Abraham and Sarah and the father of Esau and Jacob. His birth is presented as the fulfilment of the divine promise made to Abraham, and the story of Abraham being commanded to sacrifice him is one of the best-known episodes associated with the patriarchs.

Genesis also recounts Isaac’s marriage to Rebekah, disputes over wells and grazing land, and the blessing obtained by Jacob through Rebekah’s intervention. Like the other patriarchal narratives, these traditions cannot be securely fixed to a precise historical chronology from independent contemporary evidence.

Angela Hunt’s Unwavering Heart tells the story principally through Rebekah, but Isaac is central as the husband, patriarch and father whose choices shape the family conflict. Their marriage leads to the birth of Esau and Jacob, and Isaac’s preference for Esau becomes crucial when Rebekah acts to secure the paternal blessing for Jacob. The novel therefore portrays Isaac at the point where covenant, custom and parental favour collide, making his household the setting in which the next generation of the biblical promise is contested.