With ten trials was Abraham, our father (may he rest in peace), tried, and he withstood them all; to make known how great was the love of Abraham, our father (peace be upon him). The ten trials which Abraham withstood can be counted in several different ways. One count is as follows: twice when ordered to move (Gen. 12:1 ff., 12:10), twice in connection with his two sons (21:10, 22:1 ff.), twice in connection with his two wives (12:11 ff., 21:10), once on the occasion of his war with the kings (14:13 ff.), once at the covenant between the pieces (14:13 ff.), once in Ur of the Chaldees, when he was thrown into a fire furnace by Nimrod (this one is not in the Bible but appears in a midrash), and once at the covenant of circumcision (17:9 ff.). Some commentators point out the connection between Abraham’s trials and the ten utterances with which the world was created. Abraham was tried with ten trials and withstood them all, thereby proving that he was worthy of sustaining the world which was created by ten utterances. A scholar of midrash and ancient Jewish literature named James Kugel (Harvard University) has shown in his book, The Bible as It Was, that the idea that Abraham was tested was an ancient idea, common to many ancient Biblical commentators. Indeed Abraham’s life does seem to have been full of trials; he is told to leave his homeland, he faces famine, war, troubles with his wives and son, Ishmael, and especially obvious, his command to sacrifice his son, Isaac. It is not surprising that many ancient commentators would assume that he was “tried” by God many times. As an aside, this fascinating book is highly recommended.