Sacrifice

Genesis

22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said to him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

22:2 And he said, Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and get you into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.

22:3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him.

22:4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

22:5 And Abraham said to his young men, Abide you here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

22:6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

22:7 And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

22:9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar on the wood.

22:10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

22:11 And the angel of the LORD called to him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

---

References to sacrifice:
In A Descriptive Catalog (Erdman 542-30 He wrote:
"Adam was a Druid, and Noah; also 
 Abraham was called to succeed the Druidical age which age began to turn allegoric
 and mental signification into corporeal command, whereby human sacrifice would
 have depopulated the earth."

 And in Jerusalem Plate 5:
Jerusalem is scatterd abroad like a cloud of smoke thro' non-entity:

 Moab & Ammon & Amalek & Canaan & Egypt & Aram
 Recieve her little-ones for sacrifices and the delights of cruelty"
 (Erdman 147)   

Like all these symbols Blake saw this one as a contrary; here's an example;

The Ghost of Abel; (Erdman 270)

“Abel-- Are these the Sacrifices of Eternity O Jehovah, a Broken Spirit
         And a Contrite Heart. O I cannot Forgive! the Accuser hath          
         Enterd into Me as into his House & I loathe thy Tabernacles
         As thou hast said so is it come to pass: My desire is unto Cain
         And He doth rule over Me: therefore My Soul in fumes of Blood
         Cries for Vengeance: Sacrifice on Sacrifice Blood on Blood
Jehovah-- Lo I have given you a Lamb for an Atonement instead    

         Of the Transgres[s]or, or no Flesh or Spirit could ever Live
Abel--    Compelled I cry O Earth cover not the Blood of Abel

         Abel sinks down into the Grave. from which arises Satan
         Armed in glittering scales with a Crown & a Spear

Satan--   I will have Human Blood & not the blood of Bulls or Goats
         And no Atonement O Jehovah the Elohim live on Sacrifice
         Of Men: hence I am God of Men: Thou Human O Jehovah.
         By the Rock & Oak of the Druid creeping Mistletoe & Thorn
         Cains City built with Human Blood, not Blood of Bulls & Goats
         Thou shalt Thyself be Sacrificed to Me thy God on Calvary

Jehovah-- Such is My Will.   Thunders that Thou Thyself go to Eternal Death
         In Self Annihilation even till Satan Self-subdud Put off Satan
         Into the Bottomless Abyss whose torment arises for ever & ever.

         On each side a Chorus of Angels entering Sing the following

The Elohim of the Heathen Swore Vengeance for Sin! Then Thou stoodst
Forth O Elohim Jehovah! in the midst of the darkness of the Oath! All Clothed
In Thy Covenant of the Forgiveness of Sins: Death O Holy! Is this Brotherhood
The Elohim saw their Oath Eternal Fire; they rolled apart trembling over The
Mercy Seat: each in his station fixt in the Firmament by Peace Brotherhood and Love.

         The Curtain falls"

(Erdman  271)